Katsina State Governor and Chairman of the Northwest Governors’ Forum, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has declared that the Forum’s priority to regional development borders around agriculture, security and economic transformation.
Governor Radda made this known during an appearance on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, Tuesday 4th February, 2025.
Speaking on the Forum’s strategic focus, Governor Radda emphasized the region’s shared challenges and opportunities stating, “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.”
On economic development, the Governor noted that Forum plans to boost industrialization, improve access to education and create job opportunities for youth, while also supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to drive economic growth.
Responding to a poser on insecurity, Governor Radda highlighted collaborative efforts with federal authorities to combat banditry, stating that the region is developing a coordinated strategy to address this issue at regional level rather than through isolated state efforts.
“In Katsina State, 95% of our farmland was cultivated last season, leading to increased food production and lower food prices,” he reported.
Governor Radda particularly expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development and his support for the Ministry of Agriculture.
On education, Governor detailed significant progress in Katsina State, challenging recent UNICEF figures on out-of-school children.
“We have prioritized education, allocating the highest budgetary share to the sector in both the 2024 and 2025 budgets,” he stated.
“Our administration has initiated comprehensive educational reforms, including “recruiting over 7,000 new teachers” and “constructing 150 new junior and secondary schools to accommodate students transitioning from primary schools, with 75 completed and 75 ongoing. We also recorded an investment of ₦120 billion in education infrastructure, teacher, training and learning materials,” the Governor continued.
Governor Radda also intimated the public on the establishment of Bureau of Statistics in Katsina State to provide accurate data on education, healthcare, and agriculture.
In addressing the growing number of out-of-school children, the Governor disclosed that community-level committees have been formed, leveraging traditional and religious institutions to encourage school enrollment. “We recognize the challenge and we are committed to addressing it systemically,” the Governor assured.
The Governor also outlined the Forum’s economic strategy, focusing on agricultural transformation and energy development.
Governor Radda asserted that the forum is investing heavily in irrigation, mechanized farming, and value chain development.
Governor Radda maintained that collaboration with development partners is crucial, not just for funding but also for technical support and capacity building.
He hinted that the forum had an engagement with the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed to address critical issues such as out-of-school children, poverty alleviation and agriculture 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,” the Governor disclosed.
While rounding off the show, Governor Radda emphasized, “All Northwest states have committed to developing independent power projects, noting Katsina’s ongoing 20-megawatt solar project as an example of the region’s commitment to sustainable development.”
