Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has charged the newly sworn-in Local Government Chairmen to embrace service-oriented leadership as they assume office across the 34 Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaking at a leadership retreat organised for the chairmen, Governor Radda stressed that leadership at the grassroots level is “a sacred trust” that demands “not just competence, but character; not just action, but vision; not just position, but purpose.”
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He emphasised the critical role of local governments as the bedrock of functional democracy and the primary bridge between citizens and higher tiers of government.
“The health clinic in a remote village, the quality of primary schools, the maintenance of rural roads, the cleanliness of our towns, the vibrancy of our markets, these are all your responsibilities,” the Governor told the chairmen.
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“The people do not first see the President or the Governor; they experience governance through you,” he added
Mr Radda further outlined his administration’s strategic framework with concrete targets across key sectors including public sector reform, education, health and social care, agriculture, land administration, MSMEs, and finance, describing it as “our administration’s contract with the people.”
On community development, the Governor cited evidence from the state’s flagship Community Development Programme (CDP), noting that “projects identified and implemented by communities achieve more substantial ownership, lower costs, and faster delivery.”
Governor Radda also urged the chairmen to embrace rather than interfere with the community-driven approach, explaining that it complements their role by improving budget efficiency and maximizing project impact.
Commenting on the persistent security challenges in the state, Governor Radda declared insecurity “the greatest obstacle to progress” and a shared responsibility. “We speak of frontline local governments, but the fact is that none of us is safe until all of us are safe,” he stated while pledging his “undivided attention and support” to local governments fighting insecurity.
He emphasized the importance of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps as a homegrown security initiative that requires collective funding.
On financial management, the Governor announced immediate reforms, stating that “each local government shall operate a dedicated Treasury Sub-Account within the State Treasury Single Account” with all statutory allocations and internally generated revenues transiting through this sub-account.
The Governor equally revealed plans for quarterly budget-performance dashboards and unannounced compliance checks by the Auditor-General.
Additional reforms announced at the retreat are, “ migration to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System by year-end, Standardization of performance-appraisal templates, cadre structures, and disciplinary procedures, Capacity-building programmes for local government staff, Upgrades to the College of Public Administration in Funtua and Establishment of a Local Government Inspectorate led by a seasoned expert in local government affairs.”
Furthermore, the Governor outlined seven key pillars that should guide the chairmen’s leadership: Transparency and Accountability; Service-Oriented Governance; Security and Peace Building; Inclusive Leadership; Focus on Agriculture and Local Economic Development; Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition; and Innovation and Digital Transformation.
Concluding his address, Mr Radda charged the chairmen to lead with purpose. Serve with passion. Govern with wisdom. Let the history books record that in your time, Katsina’s rural communities blossomed, peace returned, youth found hope, and every citizen, no matter how poor or distant, felt the impact of governance.
On his part, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bashir Tanimu, explained that the retreat will help address the gaps in human resources and institutional capacity that have hindered effective governance in the local councils.
“We recognize that many local government officials lack adequate training and the necessary administrative skills—a situation that not only weakens service delivery but also erodes public trust,” Hon. Tanimu
Mr Tanimu also commended Governor Radda for his foresight, dedication, and relentless efforts to promote good governance, especially within the local government system.
Similarly, Ambassador Ali Mohammed, Kitare Consultancy —a technology management and aviation consulting company who are facilitators of the retreat stated, the firm focus is to support Community Development Programme, especially now that the Supreme Court has affirmed the autonomy of local governments.
“We aim to provide budget formulation and approval processes, expenditure management and cost control, leadership, transparency and governance ethics,” Amb. Mohammed disclosed.
The event was attended by the Chief of Staff Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir, Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji, Special Adviser Chieftancy Affairs, Usman Abba Jaye, Members of the State Executive Council, Members of the State House of Assembly, Council Chairmen in all 34 local government areas among other critical stakeholders.
