How Radda’s N3.61bn Community Development Revolution Is Transforming Katsina — Coordinator Urges Governors to Embrace Model

The Coordinator of the Katsina State Community Development Programme (CDP), Associate Professor Kamalludeen Kabir, has urged governors across Nigeria to adopt Governor Dikko Umaru Radda’s community-driven development approach, describing it as a practical and effective model for grassroots governance, inclusive development and improved public service delivery.

Speaking during a media parley, Kabir said the initiative has fundamentally changed how development projects are conceived and executed in Katsina State by placing communities at the center of decision-making and implementation processes.

According to him, the programme, introduced by Governor Radda shortly after he assumed office, has empowered residents in all 361 political wards of the state to identify their most pressing needs, prioritize projects and actively participate in delivering solutions that directly impact their lives.

Kabir explained that the administration established a robust implementation framework comprising a State Steering Committee, a Joint Planning Committee and Community Development Committees in every ward to coordinate planning, monitoring and project execution.

To ensure effective engagement at the grassroots, he said the government deployed 1,083 community officers—three personnel per ward—to work closely with traditional rulers, councillors, women, youths, persons with disabilities and other stakeholders in determining local development priorities.

The coordinator disclosed that the state government allocated N10 million to each of the 361 wards, amounting to a total investment of N3.61 billion, enabling communities to undertake critical projects without being hindered by bureaucratic bottlenecks.

He noted that the impact of the programme has been visible across the state, revealing that more than 3,900 public facilities have so far been renovated, rehabilitated or upgraded through community-led interventions.

The projects, he said, cut across schools, primary healthcare centres, water supply facilities, drainage networks and solar-powered street lighting systems.

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“As of last month, the 361 communities have renovated and repaired over 3,900 government facilities. This demonstrates what people can achieve when they are given the opportunity to determine their development priorities,” Kabir stated.

Beyond infrastructure development, the coordinator said the initiative has reshaped Katsina’s budgeting process by giving citizens a direct voice in determining projects that make it into annual government budgets.

He disclosed that all 361 wards recently held town hall meetings, with recommendations from residents incorporated into the 2026 budget. He added that Governor Radda has already directed another round of consultations to gather community inputs for the preparation of the 2027 Appropriation Bill.

Kabir further highlighted that the programme has strengthened transparency, increased accountability, promoted community ownership of public assets and expanded the participation of women and persons with disabilities in governance processes.

He also said the model has improved the effectiveness of government intervention programmes, as communities now help identify genuine beneficiaries for agricultural support schemes, business empowerment initiatives and social welfare programmes based on firsthand local knowledge.

Illustrating the programme’s impact, Kabir recounted how one community chose vocational skills development over new infrastructure projects by requesting the training of plumbers. The decision, he said, resulted in the emergence of more than seven trained plumbers who now provide maintenance services for local water facilities, creating both employment opportunities and sustainable community solutions.

He maintained that the success recorded in Katsina demonstrates the power of community participation in governance and urged other state governments to replicate the model as a pathway to accelerating development, improving accountability and ensuring that public resources address the real needs of citizens.