Kano state takes the lead, gov abolishes security votes.

In a rare political decision, the Kano State governor, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has announced the abolition of security votes in the state, as he said security funding now follows normal budgetary process.

In a statement from his Director of Media and Strategy, Mallam Baba Dantiye, on Monday, the governor said “here in Kano, we do not set aside a kobo for security votes,” adding that “if the police needs funding, they should come and tell us what they need the money for.”

Declaring that he was only collecting his salaries and allowances, Kwankwaso, in the statement, decried a situation in which huge funds were spent in the name of security votes, while developmental needs of the masses in the state were neglected.

He explained that his decision on channeling security votes through the budgetary process was designed to enhance transparency in public expenditure, adding that no longer would corruption be perpetrated under the guise of security votes in the state.

The statement stressed that despite the abolition of the old practices, the state government had strengthened its support for all arms of security agencies in the state, through logistics and infrastructural support.

“We have bought vehicles for them, over 50 at that. Just recently, we bought over 50 too for the vigilance groups; we bought for the Army; we bought for the Air Force; this is transparency.

“Now, I can assure you that in our treasury today is more than N20.5 billion saved within eight months with which we are launching an accelerated development of the state,” the statement quoted the governor as saying.