Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to people-centred governance, declaring that sustainable development can only be achieved when citizens play an active role in shaping and monitoring government projects.
The governor made the declaration on Saturday during the launch of the second statewide ward-level town hall consultations aimed at gathering public input for the preparation of the 2027 Katsina State budget.
The exercise, taking place simultaneously across the state’s 361 wards in 34 local government areas, is designed to ensure that residents have a direct say in determining government priorities and development interventions.
According to Radda, community participation remains a critical pillar of effective governance, stressing that citizens should not only identify projects needed in their communities but also help track their implementation to guarantee accountability and value for public spending.
“Our administration believes that lasting development can only be achieved when the people are fully involved in decision-making processes. Communities must have a voice in identifying projects and ensuring that resources are used effectively,” the governor said.
He explained that the participatory budgeting initiative has strengthened public trust in government by promoting transparency and ensuring that development projects reflect the actual needs of communities rather than assumptions made from government offices.
Radda recalled that recommendations generated during the first ward-level consultations in 2025 played a significant role in shaping the 2026 budget, noting that many of the projects proposed by residents are already being executed across key sectors.
These projects, he said, span infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, education, water supply, security, social protection, youth empowerment and broader community development initiatives.
The governor acknowledged that financial constraints make it impossible to address every request within a single budget cycle but assured residents that genuine community demands would not be overlooked.
He urged citizens to remain patient and continue supporting the administration, assuring them that proposals yet to be implemented would remain under consideration for future budgets and government programmes.
Radda further called on participants to focus on projects capable of delivering meaningful and lasting benefits in critical areas such as education, healthcare, agriculture, water resources, environmental sustainability, job creation, women’s empowerment and security.
He specifically encouraged women, youths, persons living with disabilities, farmers, traders, artisans and community-based organisations to actively contribute to the discussions, describing their perspectives as vital to building a more prosperous Katsina State.
The governor also commended the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, led by Commissioner Alhaji Anas Malik, as well as the Community Development Programme under Dr. Kamaludin Kabir, for coordinating the statewide engagement.
Earlier, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Anas Malik, said the town hall meetings demonstrate the administration’s resolve to place citizens at the heart of governance and public policy formulation.
He revealed that several ongoing projects across education, healthcare, agriculture, rural infrastructure, water supply, youth development and community services emerged directly from recommendations made during last year’s consultations.
Malik assured participants that submissions from all 361 wards would be carefully documented and reviewed before decisions are made on their inclusion in the 2027 budget, taking into account available resources and government priorities.
Also speaking, the State Coordinator of the Community Development Programme, Dr. Kamaludin Kabir, described the initiative as a transformative approach to governance that promotes transparency, inclusiveness and citizen ownership of development.
He noted that every resident, irrespective of educational background, social standing or physical ability, has a right to contribute to decisions that affect their communities.
Kabir disclosed that each ward has received ₦10 million to address pressing local challenges, while local government councils have been directed to implement projects identified through the consultation process.
He added that community requests are carefully classified according to the responsibilities of the federal, state and local governments before being forwarded to the appropriate authorities for action.
The statewide consultation exercise is expected to generate community-driven proposals that will shape the 2027 Katsina State budget while deepening public participation in governance and development planning across the state.
.jfif)
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!