Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has disclosed that he met a deeply distressed financial situation upon assuming office.
The governor noted that only N4 million was left in the state’s coffers and significant debt obligations were inherited from his predecessor, Dr Bello Matawalle.
In an interview on Arise TV, Lawal said that the sectors of security, education, and health were in near-total collapse when he came into power, prompting him to declare a state of emergency in these areas.
According to him, Zamfara was effectively bankrupt, with outstanding debts that included over four months of unpaid salaries.
He revealed that the state owed N1.6 billion each to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the Judiciary, as well as a N4 billion debt to the National Examinations Council (NECO).
“There was virtually nothing left in the treasury,” Lawal said. “I met a state burdened with unpaid wages and mounting financial challenges. My first step was to clear the salary arrears.”
He added that workers were struggling to survive before his administration stepped in. To improve their welfare, he raised the minimum wage to N70,000 and settled pension arrears amounting to N16.5 billion.