Special Adviser to Governor Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina State, on the disabled, Lt. Hudu Usman (rtd), has stated that only Governor Dikko Umar Radda of katsina state cab address lack of domesticated law on disability and a Commission for same to ensure effective care for them in Katsina. AUGUSTINE OKEZIE WRITES:
Lt. Usman, in a media chat with selected media houses in his office in Katsina lamented the none passage of domesticated laws on disability as passed by the National Assembly in Katsina state, as well as the none existence of a commission for the disabled persons in the state, to ensure proper care and provisions for the disabled in the state, as steps only the Governor can take to salvage the plight of the disabled in the state
Usman further stated that the disabled in the state were being neglected and abandoned to fate
He said: ‘’Many of them were neglected, subjected to dangerous traditional practices and were on the verge of death’’.
‘’We took over 100 of them to the hospital. Some have shown significant improvement, others are still struggling, but without our intervention, I’m sure many would have died’’.
‘’The Executive Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umaru Radda, heard about my work, invited me for a discussion and said he wanted me to help his administration coordinate disability affairs in the state’’.
‘’I accepted the offer because it was an opportunity to expand the impact of what I was doing on a wider scale’’.
The Ex-Naval officer also disclosed that the major problem when he resumed office was the lack of database of people with disabilities in the state, none domestication of the disability law and the absence of a disability commission that will ensure budgetary provisions and funding
He said’: I collected the data myself physically, painstakingly, and as of today, I have documented over 30,000 persons with disabilities across the state, including those with spinal cord injuries, the visually impaired, hearing impaired, or physically challenged in other ways’’.
‘’But the data is not yet fully updated. Some individuals have died; others are yet to be reached’’
‘’What we need now is funding to finish this work properly and create a standardized, digital and accessible database for the disabled in Katsina ‘’ Another challenge is that Katsina state has not domesticated the National Disability Law, there is no Disability Commission and, consequently, no dedicated budget for this office’’.
‘’What that means is, we are forced to go through other ministries to access any funding for disability programs’
‘‘It’s unfortunate that President Buhari signed the Disability Act into law in 2018, but Katsina State, his home state, has yet to adopt it. We’ve been trying to push the State Assembly to revisit the draft bill from the previous administration’’.
‘’Many of them were neglected, subjected to dangerous traditional practices, and were on the verge of death. We took over 100 of them to the hospital. Some have shown significant improvement, others are still struggling, but without our intervention, I’m sure many would have died’’.
‘’The Executive Governor of Katsina State, His Excellency Dikko Umaru Radda, heard about my work. He invited me for a discussion and said he wanted me to help his administration coordinate disability affairs in the state. I accepted the offer because it was an opportunity to expand the impact of what I was doing on a wider scale’’.
‘’However, once I assumed office, I discovered a major problem: There was no database of people with disabilities in the state.
‘’So I began collecting the data myself physically, painstakingly. As of today, I have documented over 30,000 persons with disabilities across the state, including those with spinal cord injuries, those who are visually impaired, hearing impaired, or physically challenged in other ways. But the data is not yet fully updated. Some individuals have died; others are yet to be reached’’.
‘’ Since Katsina State has not domesticated the National Disability Law, there is no Disability Commission and, consequently, no dedicated budget for this office. What that means is, we are forced to go through other ministries to access any funding for disability programs.
The former Naval officer further stated that the Governor has expressed support to ensure that the pending bill on disability at the state house of assembly will be represented for review, corrections and passage
He said ’’We’ve been promised a joint session soon to iron out the “lacunas,” and I plan to formally request that His Excellency write to the Assembly directly. If the disability bill is passed into law we can finally have a commission and our budget and other moves will pass all these bottlenecks’’.
“Right now, we’re working without a structure. There are no state-run rehabilitation homes, no centres for the blind or deaf, and no organized system to support these people. If an NGO doesn’t step in, they suffer. The lack of a legal framework means no institutional responsibility’’.
Katsina, UNDP, launch action plan to resettle 270,000 displaced IDPs to their ancestral homes
The Katsina State Government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, yesterday in Katsina, launched a statewide policy and action plan aimed at resettling over 270,000 internally displaced persons, IDPs, back to their ancestral homes across all 34 local government areas of the state.
The initiative which was unveiled during a town hall meeting , also outlined strategic frameworks designed to restore dignity and provide sustainable support to thousands of families affected by insecurity, environmental disasters and communal violence.
The newly launched 45-page policy document also focused on the protection, assistance, and integration of displaced persons, in line with national protocols.
The State Action Plan emphasized the provision of essential infrastructures and services including housing, education, healthcare and livelihood support.
Dr. Abubakar Imam, representative from the Academic Laisson, Solid Project, while presenting a breakdown of the action plan, noted that Katsina currently has an estimated 270,000 IDPs displaced due to armed banditry, herder-farmer clashes, floods, and desertification.
Imam also revealed that 36,288 households have been directly impacted by these crises.
He said “Hotspot areas such as Batsari, Faskari, Kankara, Sabuwa, and Danmusa have borne the brunt of repeated attacks, leaving many families without access to basic needs such as education, healthcare, food security, and safe housing,”
‘’The plan includes the construction of 2,389 gender-sensitive housing units, 10 solar-powered primary health centres with WASH facilities, and 63 inclusive basic education schools’’.
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, represented by Deputy Governor Faruk Lawal, also reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to implement and fund the policy to ensure its long-term success.
We must tackle poverty to end insecurity, says Radda
Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has reiterated that poverty and unemployment remain the root causes of insurgency and rising criminality in Nigeria.
The Governor made this known while receiving a high-level delegation from the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) at the Government House, Katsina.
The delegation was in the state to present the “Sustainable Rehabilitation and Reintegration Project for Improved Livelihood and National Security,” a joint initiative targeting conflict-affected communities.
The project, which already has a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) since May this year, aims to promote economic empowerment using climate-smart integrated agriculture.
Governor Radda emphasized that “Insurgency thrives where economic hardship exists. If we must win the insecurity war, we must combine kinetic and non-kinetic approaches — and that begins with tackling poverty.”
Radda reaffirms support for Local Govt Autonomy, stresses accountability on health, education, Agriculture
Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has reiterated his strong support for local government autonomy, while emphasizing the critical role of accountability and oversight in managing public resources.
Speaking during a live appearance on Sunrise Daily, Channels Television’s flagship morning show, Governor Radda also highlighted Katsina State’s strides in improving the standard of living through strategic interventions in healthcare, education, and agriculture
When asked about the ongoing debate on local government autonomy and whether governors are truly committed to decentralizing power, Governor Radda said he could not speak for other states but made it clear that Katsina’s experience supports full autonomy—if checks and balances are in place.
He said “I was once a local government chairman in this state for six years, I operated under autonomy and that period helped shape my political journey. I’m in full support of local government autonomy, but we must ensure mechanisms are in place to monitor how funds are used. Accountability is key.”
Radda lauds Tinubu over the passage of the new tax law
Governor Dikko Umar Radda of Katsina State has lauded President Bola Tinubu over the signing of the new tax bill into law, noting that while Northern Governors initially raised reservations, their concerns were rooted in protecting citizens, not in opposition to the Federal Government.
He said “What we saw during that process was a demonstration of unity and support for the Nigerian government, Our concern was always about the implication of any law on our people. Now that it has been signed with nationwide consensus, we expect this reform to support economic growth and improve living standards.”
He particularly highlighted the tax reliefs granted to small businesses under the new law, which he described as “a big win for the Nigerian economy.” Drawing from his experience as the former Director-General of SMEDAN (Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria), the Governor said he had long championed policies that would relieve the burden on MSMEs.
