TheCable

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, says the state has requested special status for 1 percent allocation in the new nation’s revenue allocation formula.

Abba Anwar, chief press secretary (CPS) to the governor, said this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Kano.

Anwar said that Ganduje made it known when Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, paid a condolence visit over the death of Aliko Dangote’s brother, Sani Dangote.

In October, TheCable had reported that Sanwo-Olu also called for a special status for Lagos and 1 percent revenue allocation over its “huge financial obligations” to the national coffers.

“Looking at the population size of Kano and Lagos states and other similarities of megacities, both states demand 1 percent in the new nation’s revenue allocation formula. We have already made our submissions,” Ganduje was quoted as saying.

He noted that the two states were lucky to have the highest number of members in the house of representatives.

Ganduje pointed out that both Kano and Lagos States have 24 legislators each in the green chamber.

In the statement, Anwar said that Sanwo-Olu revealed that both states are megacities.

“While Lagos is the most populous city in Nigeria and West Africa, Kano is the second after Lagos”, Sanwo-Olu said.

“We have similarities, and we also have the same problems.

“Problem of managing population, the problem of providing social services to people, and you cannot determine who will use your facilities, your services because people are coming into our cities for almost 24 hours.

“Every second, people are entering the two cities of Kano and Lagos, and you have no control over that. They also have to get security services.

“Since there is now an attempt to review the revenue formula in Nigeria, Lagos and Kano are demanding for 1 percent.

“That will enable us to take care of the circumstances of megacities.”