Use or lose properties, Kano govt tells estate allocatee

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has threatened to revoke houses and properties allocated to individuals at Kwankwasiyya, Ammana and Bandarau cities after the owners failed to put the facilities to use.

Yusuf insisted the properties in the three housing estates built during the administration of Dr. Rabiu Musa
Kwankwaso must be occupied by the owners or rented out for active use in the next three months.

The governor’s ultimatum came amidst the recovery of documents of properties and 324 houses from the cities for Kano State pensioners by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the final forfeiture order granted by the Federal High Court, Abuja, in 2024.

The cities constructed by Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso between 2011 and 2015 with over N4 billion in pension funds were the subject of litigation after the successive governments failed to allocate the same to pensioners as promised.

Issuing the warning on Monday at the inauguration of Architect Ibrahim Yakubu Adamu as new Commissioner for Housing
Development, Governor Yusuf emphasised the urgent need to revive the economic activity in the three cities.

He directed the commissioner to ensure immediate restoration of all basic amenities in the cities for conducive living conditions for the inhabitants.

While tasking the new commissioner to bring his expertise to bear in the new assignment, Governor Yusuf reminded that the formation of the new ministry was considered to meet the housing deficit in Kano.

He charged the new housing development commissioner to leverage the collaboration between the state and the Federal Mortgage Bank for the provision of affordable shelter for civil servants in the state.