Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has flagged off the second statewide ward-level town hall meetings for the preparation of the 2027 state budget, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to participatory governance by giving citizens a direct role in determining development priorities.
The governor launched the exercise on Saturday at Radda Ward in Charanchi Local Government Area, while similar consultations were held simultaneously across all 361 political wards in the state’s 34 local government areas.
Speaking at the event, Radda described the consultations as a continuation of his administration’s promise to place the people at the centre of governance.
“Today’s exercise is not merely another public meeting. It is a continuation of the promise we made that governance must begin by listening to the people. Every community deserves to be heard, and every voice matters in shaping the future of Katsina State,” he said.
The governor recalled that the maiden ward-level consultations conducted ahead of the 2026 budget enabled citizens across all 361 wards to participate directly in setting government priorities, noting that many of the recommendations from the exercise had already been incorporated into ongoing projects.
According to him, projects identified during the first consultations are being implemented in sectors including road infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, water supply, youth empowerment, social protection, community development and security support.
Radda assured residents that genuine requests that could not be accommodated immediately would remain under consideration for future budgets and government interventions.
He stressed that sustainable development requires active community participation, not only in identifying projects but also in monitoring their implementation to ensure accountability and transparency.
The governor urged residents to present realistic projects that address the needs of their communities, particularly in education, healthcare, agriculture, water supply, economic empowerment, youth and women development, and security.
He also appealed to women, youths, persons with disabilities, farmers, traders, artisans and community associations to participate actively in the consultations, describing their contributions as essential to the state’s development.
Radda further called on community-level committees, traditional rulers, local government councils, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to ensure that the consultations were conducted peacefully, fairly and transparently, with every recommendation properly documented.
Alhaji Malik Anas
Earlier, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Malik Anas, said the Radda administration made history in 2025 by becoming the first government in the state to conduct budget consultations across all 361 wards.
He said many of the recommendations received during the exercise had already translated into projects in education, healthcare, water supply, agriculture and rural infrastructure.
The commissioner assured participants that all submissions from the current consultations would be documented, analysed and considered in line with available resources and government priorities.
He urged residents to focus on practical and impactful projects capable of improving the quality of life of the people.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of the Community Development Programme (CDP), Dr. Kamaludeen Kabir, said the programme was founded on the belief that sustainable development could only be achieved when communities actively participate in decisions affecting their lives.
Dr. Kamaludeen Kabir
He explained that the CDP had deployed Community Development Officers, Community Learning Officers, Community Support Officers and Community-Level Committees across the state to facilitate discussions and ensure that community priorities were captured for inclusion in the 2027 budget.
The statewide consultations, organised by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in collaboration with the Community Development Programme under the theme “Building Your Future IV,” are designed to strengthen inclusive governance, transparency, accountability and people-driven development in Katsina State.
The event was attended by former Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir, Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Hon. Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji, members of the State Executive Council, traditional and religious leaders, APC stakeholders, local government officials, community leaders, women, youths and other stakeholders.
