Radda releases N3.6bn for wards development projects
Katsina State Government has so far disbursed ₦3.6 billion directly to communities at the ward level for the execution of minor projects that are of importance to them.
Under the initiative, each of the 361 ward in the state received ₦10 million for projects to drive development at the grassroots.
According to the programme’s Coordinator, Dr. Kamaludeen Kabir, the intervention represents the largest single grassroots empowerment initiative in recent times in Nigeria.
“This programme is Governor Dikko Radda’s visionary initiative to turn Katsina State into a community-driven development powerhouse,” Dr. Kabir said.
“We want to ensure that in every community, there is government presence—not just in theory, but in practical terms with staff, structures, and resources to regulate and improve the lives of our people.”
The initiative addresses a critical gap in Nigeria’s development approach, where minor but essential infrastructure repairs were often neglected, leading to complete system failures and massive replacement costs.
Under this revolutionary model, each ward now has the financial autonomy to tackle immediate challenges before they escalate into expensive emergencies.
“Before this initiative, when a borehole or water pump developed faults, instead of simple repairs that wouldn’t require huge money, they would just be abandoned. Today, through our office, such minor issues are addressed immediately before they cause serious damage and attract huge amounts of money.”
The strategic approach has already yielded remarkable results in less than seven months since implementation.
“As I speak to you, we started less than seven months ago, but today, there is no single ward that doesn’t have ₦10 million in their account to do minor works, and it’s at their discretion to decide what they want to do,” Dr. Kabir emphasized.
The programme, according to Dr. Kabir operates through a sophisticated three-committee structure that ensures accountability, coordination, and effectiveness at every level.
