By Mu’azu Hassan

The Katsina State Transport Authority is the biggest transport agency that also has the largest number of vehicles in the history of northern Nigeria. The agency manages the vehicles that the Katsina government bought and those bought by businessmen from across Nigeria and given to the agency by offering cheap transportation services.

The agency was established in 1987 when Katsina became a state.

However, the authority’s work stopped for some years from 1989 to 1991.

In 1992, the first civilian governor, Alhaji Saidu Barda, revived the agency when Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari was the commissioner of Works and Transport in the state. (Masari was the governor of Katsina from 2015 to 2023)

Under Masari’s leadership, the structure of the agency was changed again and a law was signed by the Katsina State legislature, and new cars were given to the agency. Since then, its operations has continued until the return of civilian rule in 1999.

The Governor of Katsina at the time, the late Umaru Musa Yar-Adua, enhanced the operations of the agency by appointing hardworking persons as General Managers, among them was Alhaji Hadi Sirika who became a Senator and later Minister during the Buhari administration.

During the tenure of Barrister Ibrahim Shema, he appointed dedicated General Managers such as Alhaji Bashir Gambo Saulawa (now the Commissioner of Health, Katsina State). The former governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, also took giant strides that upgraded the operations of KTSTA such as the purchase of note fleet of cars and the refurbishment of dilapitated ones to fully revive the agency.

In 2021, the law that established the agency was amended to accommodate vehicles from private individuals, organizations and corporate bodies. The administration also built stations for KTSTA in Malumfashi, Funtua and other important junctions.

Now the agency has more than two hundred vehicles that are operating all over the federation, and more than a hundred vehicles operating  within Katsina State.

Upon assumption  of office, Malam Umar Dikko Radda gave the agency more priority than previous governments. Despite the increase in the price of goods and services due to the economic hardship, the governor instructed the agency not to increase its transport fare. He also made it clear to the leadership of the agency that his doors are open with regards to any issue that will improve the operations of the agency.

This support by the governor made it possible for the agency to open nine stations across Katsina State mostly in areas that have heavy traffic or busy markets.

Another interesting aspect is that the agency’s transportation fare is the cheapest anywhere in the country.

KTSTA is also making plans and arrangements with the Federal University Dustinma to start conveying its staff and students that stay in towns that are far away from the university campus.

One interesting fact is that it also generates the revenue to pay its own employees, providing  a relief for the state government, while also contributing much to the state government revenue.

The agency has now become an example for other transport agencies throughout the country  who frequently come to Katsina to learn from the KTSTA management. The Katsina State Transport Authority has witnessed unprecedented development during the current management led by Alhaji Haruna Musa Rugoji and Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad.

 Haruna Musa Rogoji: General Manager

The transformation of Katsina State Transport Authority in the recent past has been largely credited to Alhaji Haruna Musa Rugoji who took the agency from heavy depth to buoyancy since he assumed office as General Manager of the agency in 2018. Few of his achievements include the settling of debts worth more than N50 million which include staff salaries and other entitlements, liabilities ow d car dealers and spare parts dealers and other clients of the authority. He also repaired at least 57 dilapidated vehicles and made it a policy for the agency to purchase one new vehicle each month.

This culture of excellence in leadership is owed to Haruna Musa Rogoji’s discipline, honesty and uprightness.

Haruna Musa Rugoji was born on the 5th February, 1973 in Malumfashi town of Katsina

State. His educational career started at Dudi Primary School Malumfashi where he obtained his Primary School Certificate in 1984 from where he proceeded to Government Day Secondary School Malumfashi for his SSCE Certificate from (1985-1991), then to Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, for his  National Diploma in Marketing from 2005 to 2006 before he proceeded to Kano State Polytechnic for his Higher National Diploma in Cooperative Economics and Management from 2007-2008.

He then went for a Postgraduate Diploma in Management at ATBU Bauchi between 2011 and 2012, Bayero University Kano for his Masters in Business Administration/Marketing between 2016 and 2018, and Masters’ Degree in Transport and Logistics Management at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria  which he concluded in 2021.

His variously worked as Member Religious Affairs Committee, Malumfashi LGA from 2005 to 2007, Chairman Project Implementation Committee, Malumfashi LGA between 2008 and 2009, General Manager, Loyal Abdul Son Petroleum Nig. Ltd.Gombe Branch from to 2010 to 2015, Lecturer II at the Department of Business Administration, Hassan

Usman Katsina Polytechnic from January 2015, and then Katsina State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) from August to October, 2018, from where he was appointed as General Manager Katsina State Transport Authority (KTSTA) from 31st October, 2018, a position which he holds to date.