Ganduje hit back at critics over Triumph building, Daula hotel, others

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has hit back at those criticising his administration’s handling of some strategic projects in the state.

The governor, who said his administration, will do everything possible to complete all ongoing projects, said critics of projects like Triumph Building, Daula Hotel, Shahuci, among others, are primitive and “can’t see beyond their nose.”

He expressed concern about the way public-oriented projects of the administration’s are being criticised in bad faith by members of opposition.

A statement made available to PlatinumPost on Wednesday and signed by Abba Anwar, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said Ganduje stated this on Tuesday during an inspection tour to the multi-billion naira Kano Economic City, located on Zaria road.

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On the Triumph Newspapers building, popularly known as Gidan Sa’adu Zungur, he said “for those critics who dont even understand the practice of modern journalism, that does not require such a big building for the production of newspapers, we are turning the building into modern Foreign Exchange market.”

According to him, operators of Waper Bureau-De-Change market, would be relocated to the building, adding that the move will benefit the state massively.

While challenging critics about their “…sheer inability to understand modern day newspaper ownership, control, management, production and marketing,” the governor urged them to always understand an issue before delving into it.

He said : “People should be reminded that, Triumph newspaper company was forced to stop any production by the past administration. And the company was closed for many years before we came to power.

“Who then is to be blamed between those who killed the company and those who understand the relevance and importance of the company and brought it back?

“Daula hotel has become obsolete, if I can use that concept, and does not in any way depict modern day hotel business. What we are doing now, is to modernise the place and put it to good use.

“That is why we wonder when these people say such properties are being taken away from public to personal use.”

On the popular Shahuci motor park site, Ganduje said the building project was started by the past administration and was abandoned, making the place criminals hideouts before the present government attracted legitimate activities to the area.

“But those who don’t seem to get the clear purpose, which is people-driven, of turning such edifices to modern places, have shallow level of understanding and cannot see beyond their nose. So embarrassing and increasingly ill-conceived,” the governor lamented.

He said the revamping of some of the major buildings has provided employment for significant number of Kano citizens, especially youths and women as promised by the administration.

On the Kano Economic City, he said: “This project of Kano Economic City, was conceived for over 20 years before now, and abandoned by previous administrations, due to lack of political will. So the project didn’t see the light of the day. But when we came in with the political will, look at the level of work done.”

The governor expressed satisfaction with the progress of work on the economic city particularly a section in Dangwauro area, that will house drug market.

“With this modern drug market, we are so sure of further doing away with peddling of fake and counterfeit drugs, drug abuse and drug mismanagement. We are going to have security agencies attached to the market, for instance, officials of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) will be there,

“Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) will be there and all other related stakeholders, will all be there. So can’t you see how we are putting more eyes on drug production, management and control? But those who don’t have the capacity to grasp this reality clearly, have started peddling all sorts of unguided statements,” he said.

He called on Kano citizens to acquire shops in the market as it is being run under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

“We use public private partnership to boost our economy. This Economic City has over 10,000 shops, there are banks, hotels, restaurants, police stations, among many other facilities. All in an effort to make our economy compete favourably,” he said.

On his part, the Project Engineer of the market, A.S. Yunusa, assured the governor that, the drug section of the market would be completed and commissioned by the end of January, next year.