95% of Katsina farmlands cultivated last season – Gov Radda

Katsina State Governor and Chairman Northwest Governors Forum, Dikko Umaru Radda was a guest at the Arise TV programme, The Morning Show, on Tuesday. He featured in the show shortly after chairing a meeting between the Northwest Governors Forum and development partners on projects funding, technical support, capacity building and other critical issues such as out-of-school children, poverty alleviation, and agricultural development. Here are excerpts from the interview:

Host: Good morning, Your Excellency, and welcome to The Morning Show.

Radda: Good morning. It’s a pleasure to be here.

Host: Governor, could you take us through the key outcomes of the recent Northwest Governors’ Forum meeting?

Radda: Thank you for having me. The Northwest Governors’ Forum is not a recent initiative; it began even before our inauguration as governors. Recognising the shared challenges facing our region, we saw the need for a collective approach rather than individual efforts. The Northwest is a largely homogeneous region, with cultural and economic similarities across states like Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Jigawa.

Our focus is on three key areas. First is agricultural development. Agriculture is the backbone of our region, engaging about 90% of our population. We are working to enhance food production, ensure food security, and promote agribusiness to harness our full economic potential. Second is economic development. We aim to boost industrialization, improve access to education, and create job opportunities for our youth.

We are also focused on supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to drive economic growth. Security: Insecurity has been a major challenge in the Northwest for over a decade. Banditry affects almost all states in the region except Kano and Jigawa. We are developing a coordinated strategy to address this issue at the regional level, rather than through isolated state efforts. This includes engaging the federal government for support in security interventions.

Host: You emphasised collaboration with development partners. Could you elaborate on the specific role of these partnerships?

Radda: Collaboration with development partners is crucial, not just for funding but also for technical support and capacity building. We are working with organisations like the United Nations (UN) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to address critical issues such as out-of-school children, poverty alleviation, and agricultural development.

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Our engagement with the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, was particularly significant. We are also strengthening regional coordination, and as part of that effort, we have appointed Ms Maryam Musa Yahaya as the first Director-General of the Northwest Governors’ Forum.

Host: Regarding tax reforms, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum has endorsed ongoing reforms despite public concerns. What is the Northwest Governors’ position on this?

Radda: The position of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum is also the position of the Northwest Governors. We participated in discussions with the Presidential Tax Reform Committee, and our stance aligns with the broader consensus reached at that meeting. I have nothing further to add beyond what has already been agreed upon.

Host: Let’s talk about security. How are you collaborating with the federal government to address the security challenges in the Northwest?

Radda: Security is a top priority for us, and we have been working closely with the federal government. One of our first actions after taking office was to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to seek support for security interventions and agricultural development. We appreciate the president’s establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development and his support for the Ministry of Agriculture.

This collaboration has already yielded positive results. For instance, in Katsina State, 95% of our farmland was cultivated last season, leading to increased food production and lower food prices.

In terms of security, we are working closely with the federal authorities. Just yesterday, I met with the Governor of Zamfara State, the National Security Adviser, and the Minister of Defense to develop a comprehensive strategy for tackling banditry. Our approach ensures that states are not working in isolation but are coordinating efforts to achieve lasting security solutions.

Host: According to a recent UNICEF report, Nigeria has 10.2 million out-of-school children, with significant numbers in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina. Specifically, UNICEF states that 536,112 children in Katsina State are out of school. What is your government doing to address this issue?

Radda: I acknowledge that out-of-school children remain a challenge, but I believe the figures reported by UNICEF may not reflect recent progress. Since taking office, we have prioritised education, allocating the highest budgetary share to the sector in both the 2024 and 2025 budgets. Our efforts include: Recruiting over 7,000 new teachers; constructing 150 new junior and secondary schools to accommodate students transitioning from primary schools, with 75 completed and 75 ongoing; investing ₦120 billion in education infrastructure, teacher training, and learning materials; establishing a Bureau of Statistics in Katsina State to provide accurate data on education, healthcare, and agriculture.

Additionally, we have formed community-level committees, leveraging traditional and religious institutions to encourage school enrollment. We recognise the challenge and are committed to addressing it systematically.

Host: Given the economic challenges in the region, has the Northwest Governors’ Forum developed a regional economic strategy?

Radda: Yes, we have a clear economic agenda focused on two key areas: Agricultural Transformation: The region has immense agricultural potential. We are investing heavily in irrigation, mechanized farming, and value chain development. The African Development Bank is supporting us through the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) and National Agriculture Growth Scheme (NAGS) 2.0 projects, focusing on irrigation and livestock production.

On energy and industrialization, we recognise that industrialization requires reliable power supply. All Northwest states have committed to developing independent power projects. Katsina State, for instance, is working on renewable energy solutions, including a 20-megawatt solar project, to attract industries and create jobs.

By implementing these strategies, we aim to reduce poverty, create employment opportunities, and foster sustainable economic growth in the region.

Host: On that note, Governor Radda, we’d like to thank you for joining us on The Morning Show.

Radda: Thank you for having me. It was a pleasure discussing these important issues.