In less than six months on assumption of office as Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has been named Governor of the year 2023 by Leadership Newspaper Group.
The newspaper made the announcement in its Monday December 11, 2023 edition in a full page publication.
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Executive Governor, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed quoted the publication that on assuming office on May 29, 2023, Governor, Radda embarked on a transformative journey marked by strategic initiatives across various sectors.
According to publication, at the commencement of his term, the Governor demonstrated a commitment to efficient governance by conducting a comprehensive workforce verification and signing into law the Treasury Single Account (TSA) Bill.
The CPS said these actions aimed to enhance the effectiveness of the civil service by blocking financial leakages and ensuring compliance with fiscal instructions.
Compassionate about welfare of retirees, the governor also inaugurated a committee for the implementation of state and local government pensions and gratuities reforms that would ensure payment of pensions and gratuities to deserving retired civil servants.
The Leadership Newspaper Group also praised Governor Radda for making security a focal point of his administration by pioneering community-driven policing within five months of taking office.
According to it, the innovative approach not only prioritized intelligence gathering but also aimed to build trust and cooperation between security agencies and local communities.
Over the weekend, Malam Radda joined a combined team of security personnel and military troops to foil an attack on the residents of Zakka village in Safana Local Government Area.
The CPS said the Governor’s action was a clear commitment and determination in the fight against banditry in the state that has caused hardship to the people.
Besides, the Leadership Group lauded Malam Radda’s significant milestone to checkmate insecurity through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UNDP, securing $13 million facility for the implementation of the North-West prevention and addressing the persistent issue of insecurity in the region.
The media organization also said Governor Radda’s commitment to combating banditry extended to concrete actions, including the approval of recruitment of 2,400 youths into the Community Watch Corps (CWC) and the training and equipping of 1,456 officers actively engaged in the fight against criminal activities.
Furthermore, the Leadership Newspaper Group said the governor’s dedication to educational advancement was further evidenced by the approval of N2.7 billion for the construction of 75 secondary schools in collaboration with the World Bank project, AGILE.
He also approved the release of N112.5 million for the 2023 allowances of about 546 medical students, both home and abroad, indigent students received N640,648,566 bursary allowances.
On healthcare, Malam Radda’s administration initiated the construction of a state-of-the-art dialysis centre in Gen. Amadi Rimi Specialist Hospital, a groundbreaking endeavour that, when completed, will be the first of its kind in the northern part of Nigeria.
