Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has completed the payment of outstanding allowances owed to former local government councillors, clearing arrears that accumulated over more than a decade.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Dawakin Tofa, said ₦8.26 billion had been disbursed to 1,371 councillors who served between 2021 and 2024.
The payment marked the third and final phase of a settlement plan initiated earlier this year. In May, the government paid ₦1.8 billion to 903 former councillors who served between 2014 and 2017, followed by ₦5.6 billion paid to 1,198 councillors from the 2018–2020 tenure in August.
According to the statement, the cumulative payout across the three phases totalled ₦15.67 billion, benefiting more than 3,400 former council members.
Speaking on the development, Yusuf described the exercise as a “restoration of dignity, trust, and justice.”
“We are not just closing a ledger; we are opening a new chapter. Never again should those who serve the public be left in uncertainty about what is rightfully theirs,” the governor said.
Yusuf also disclosed that serving councillors whose tenure began in 2024 had received 50 per cent of their furniture allowance, amounting to ₦1.27 billion.
He commended the Ministry for Local Government, the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General, and the Former Councillors’ Forum for ensuring a transparent and credible verification process.
The governor further announced institutional reforms to prevent future accumulation of arrears, including the digitalisation of records, payroll management upgrades, and improved budget planning.
“By settling this debt, we are strengthening the morale of those serving today and inspiring confidence in those who will serve tomorrow,” he said.
The event was attended by former councillors, senior government officials and labour union representatives, many of whom described the payment as long overdue.
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