Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has issued June ultimatum to owners of houses at Kwankwasiyya, Bandirawo and Amana cities to occupy their properties or face revocation.
It reports that the three cities were established by Rabi’u Kwankwaso during his second tenure as the then governor of the state.
The houses were put for sell to individuals, but most of them had been unsold and taken over by illegal occupants.
Speaking on Monday at the government house, during the swearing-in of Arc Ibrahim Yakubu as a new commissioner, Mr Yusuf said his administration had begun renovation of the houses in the three cities to make them utilized.
According to Mr Yusuf, the government is working to make the cities lively by restoring their initial structure.
He disclosed that the government had connected the Kwankwasiyya and Amana cities with the Challawa Hydroelectricity to provide full power supply for the residents.
He warned that anybody that owns a house should occupy or rent it out before June 2025 or face revocation.
“I have even directed the Commissioner for Works to renovate and restore all the infrastructure because the government is working to restore the cities.
“From March to June this year, anybody that owns a house at these three should come forward and occupy it or rent it out because we are working towards making these cities fully functional and occupied.
“Anybody that fails to comply, will have his property revoked and allocated to somebody in need,” the governor warned.
On the new Commissioner, Mr Yusuf said he had created a new ministry, named Housing and Transport for him to occupy.
After the oath-taking ceremony, which was administered by the Attorney General of the state, Barrister Haruna Isa Dederi, Mr Yusuf urged the new commissioner to leverage his wealth of experience to drive the development of the state.
He also congratulated Mr Yakubu on his new role, tasking him to ensure the effective utilization of the three new cities.
The Governor expressed confidence in Mr Yakubu’s ability, citing his decade-long experience as an architect and his previous role as the Managing Director of KNUPDA.
“I have worked closely with him for decades, and I know his capacity. I am sure he will not let us down,” Governor Yusuf said.
The Governor appealed the new commissioner to use his vast experience in addressing the challenges of housing deficit in the state.
