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  • Radda mourns seven dead Katsina accident victims

    Radda mourns seven dead Katsina accident victims

    Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has declared days of mourning and sincere condolences to the families of the seven dead victims of a fatal accident involving passengers on a Katsina State Trañsport Authority, KTSTA, eighteen-seater  bus travelling from Katsina to Abuja.

    Investigation by The Nation revealed that the ill-fated KTSTA bus was en route Abuja from its office in Kankara local government area of Katsina State, when it met with the tragedy due to ongoing repairs on the Kaduna/Abuja highway.

    Read Also: God will grant Tinubu good health, long life to turn Nigeria around – Sunday Igboho

    Further findings revealed that the construction work required diversion of traffic, with contractors placing heavy machinery in close proximity to the area, inadvertently contributing to the unfortunate incident.

    The seven lives lost at the scene of the accident include two children and the bus driver.

    Governor Radda, while expressing deep sympathy and condolences to the bereaved, promised to stand in solidarity with the families and urged  the people of Katsina State to pray and support the families.

  • Radda approves 36 new appointments

    Radda approves 36 new appointments

    Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, has approved the appointment of 36 persons to lead and manage various government offices and positions in his government.

    Malam Ibrahim Kaula, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Katsina.

    According to him, the fresh appointments were to enhance the efficiency, functionality of various government agencies in the state, and also aimed to foster development and improve service delivery across the state.

    The appointees include Alhaji Badamasi Ya’u-Yantumaki as Director General, Katsina State Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and Alhaji Muhammad Lawal-Matazu, General Manager, Katsina State Assets Management Agency.

    Others are Alhaji Ibrahim Lawal-Dankaba, as Executive Director, Katsina State Small Town and Water Sanitation Agency (STOWASSA), Katsina State Social Investment Programme Agency (KTSIPA) has Dr Mudassir Nasir as its Coordinator, while Hajiya Karima Abdulkarim is appointed as the state Manager, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

    Hajiya Zainab Abdulhadi was appointed the state Manager, National Home Grown School Feeding (NHGSF) programme, Alhaji Sanusi Muhammad-Rafukka, Manager, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), and Alhaji Abdurahman Salihu-Maska as the N-Power state Manager.

    The governor also appointed Alhaji Abdulkadir Mamman-Nasir as the Managing Director, Katsina State Irrigation Development Authority, Alhaji Mannir Ayuba-Sullubawa as the Director General, Katsina State Erosion and Watershed Management Agency (KEWMA).

    Read Also: Eight takeaways from Radda’s investment shuttles to seven countries

    The Katsina State Board of Internal Revenue, (KSBIR) is headed by Prof Sani Abubakar as Chairman, with Dr Kabir Abdullahi, Alhaji Murtala Mohammed, Alhaji Al-Mustapha, Alhaji Bashir Rafindadi and Alhaji Kabir Isa-Fago as Executive Directors.

    According to him, Radda also appointed Dr. Tanimu Yakubu-Kurfi, former Chief Economic Adviser to late President Umaru Yar’adua, Board Chairman for Katsina State Development Management Board (KTDMB), with Dr Zainab Musa-Saeed as the Executive Director, Social Development, and Dr Kabir Tukur as Executive Director, Economic Development and Investment.

    Dr Jamilu Usman will serve as the Executive Director, Infrastructure Development of the board, and Hajiya Maryam Musa-Yahaya, who will be in the Development Partners Department as its Executive Director.

    Radda also appointed 10 board members which included Hajiya Fatimah Binta-Bello, Hajiya Habiba Suleiman, Dr. Zainab Usman, Nasir Yammama, Haroun Abba-Gana, Dr. Kabir Yusuf, Dr Zakari Lawal, and three representatives from the Ministry of Budget Planning, Finance and also Justice.

    The governor also appointed Alhaji Salisu Mamman-Kadandani, as Board Vice Chairman of the newly-established Katsina Enterprise Board Development Agency (KASEDA).

    Kaula added that the governor also approved the appointment of three Senior Special Assistants (SSA) and a Special Assistant (SA).

  • Eight takeaways from Radda’s investment shuttles to seven countries

    Eight takeaways from Radda’s investment shuttles to seven countries

    He is on a mission to restore the beautiful, enchanting and unrivalled glories of Katsina State, which were lost several years ago. For Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, the narrative of Katsina needs to be overhauled, and in no distant time.

    Barely six months after he assumed office, Mallam Dikko Radda has left no stone unturned in his avowed quest to rewrite the Katsina story, in a style that is intellectually captivating, eye catching and fantastically mind blowing.

    Aside from performing groundbreaking inaugurations of vital capital projects, the Radda administration has equally unveiled programmes and policies aimed at enhancing the living standards and welfare of teeming Katsina masses.

    Taking into cognizance the reality that Katsina is richly endowed not only with abundant natural resources, but tremendous human capital, His Excellency, in the last three months, led a delegation of top government functionaries of the state government to the United Kingdom, Turkiye Republic, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Cote D’Ivoire, South Korea and the United States of America.

    The trips were aimed at forging business partnerships and also woo potential investors to Katsina state. Below are the takeaways from Governor Radda’s official expeditions to the seven aforementioned nations.

    Enhanced Capacity for Good Governance

    About three months ago, Governor Dikko Radda, together with some of his first-term colleague Governors participated in a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-sponsored retreat for select members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), in Rwanda.

    The retreat was aimed at boosting the capacity of the participating governors in piloting the affairs of their respective states, in a way that will foster good governance and purposeful leadership. It is as certain as daybreak that Governor Radda, in the wake of the retreat, has broadened his horizon on what is expected of any governor steering the affairs of a Nigerian state, especially at a critical juncture Nigeria finds itself.

    Move to Better Katsina’s Health Sector

    In far away Turkiye, Governor Dikko Radda after the Kigali retreat for the NGF members, visited Submed Medical Equipment Factory. At the factory, he discussed partnership with the Turkish firm’s management, aimed at revamping Katsina’s Health sector.

    It is apt to assert that the administration of Mallam Radda is working painstakingly to provide better access to higher quality healthcare services and improve health system resilience, towards building the functionality needed to attain universal health coverage.

    Getting AFDB’s Support for North West’s Growth

    Leading a delegation of Nigerian governors from states in the North West to the corporate headquarters of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in October, Governor Dikko Radda solicited the bank’s intervention for North West’s accelerated development and economic growth, through harnessing the potential of the region’s agricultural and power sectors.

    He specifically requested the aid of AfDB to expand irrigation facilities in the region. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of AfDB, in his remarks, said: Our AfDB has agreed to sponsor a regional cooperation desk to support the North Western states as they embark on a regional approach to development”.

    Katsina Gets 10 Containers of Medical Supplies, MRIs, Others

    Following Governor Dikko Radda’s visit to the Headquarters of the World Medical Relief (WMR) Incorporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, Katsina State has now gotten 10 containers of medical supplies and equipment donated by WMR.

    The 10 containers of medical supplies worth $10 million will be delivered to the state as from January 2024. While speaking at the WMR’s headquarters, Governor Radda lauded the US organisation for providing support to Katsina under its ‘Partnership for Health Program’.

    Responding, President of WMR, Mr. George Samson, disclosed that their organisation is committed to helping Katsina source state-of-the-art MRI equipment and CT Scans, at discount prices, while also offering to install them and train Katsina technicians on proper handling/operation of the equipment, among other pledges.

    Read Also: Agric revolution will help Nigeria surmount insecurity, poverty – Shettima

    Katsina Builds Network with all UK Varsities

    Sometime in August, Governor Dikko Radda visited the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge, United Kingdom, to forge an international collaboration with the Institute. The visit was aimed at making Katsina State a Centre of Excellence in healthcare delivery, and a go-to destination for solutions to all kinds of infectious diseases.

    It is germane to posit that all United Kingdom (UK) Universities, including the London School of Hygiene, Oxford University, and Cambridge University, among others are partnering with the Sanger Institute to conduct high impact research. Therefore, Katsina’s collaboration with the Wellcome Sanger Institute is like building a network with all UK Universities.

    Katsina Offers Natural Resources to Saudi Investors

    Also, Governor Dikko Radda, about three weeks ago, informed a cross section of business moguls and top private sector players in Saudi Arabia that Katsina state is endowed with assorted agricultural and mineral resources, which they can invest in.

    He said that there is now an enabling environment for business investments to safely thrive in the State, as the recently-launched Katsina State Community Watch together with personnel of other conventional security agencies have curbed the threats of insecurity in the state.

    Governor Radda spoke with journalists on the sideline of the Saudi-Nigeria Roundtable Meeting in Riyadh, held last month. He said: “Katsina State is also endowed with various mineral resources such as Lithium, Gold, Diamond and even Uranium. Your investments in the agricultural and mineral resources’ sectors of our dear State, will no doubt ensure the prosperity of our people. But more importantly, you shall also benefit greatly from your investments.

    “We, as a sub-national government, assure you that your safety and wellbeing, by the time you come and invest in our dear Katsina, will not be compromised. It is in fact a top priority for us”.

    South Korean Agency Develops Framework for Agro Project in Katsina

    Towards accelerating the socio-economic development of Katsina state, Governor Dikko Radda recently held a fruitful bilateral discussion with Seamuel Foundation, a South Korean government organisation. Two Katsina communities namely Makera and Raddawa villages of Matazu and Dutsinma Local Governments have once benefitted from the humanitarian support of the foundation.

    The foundation has so far constructed irrigation facilities and introduced modern techniques of farming practice, as well as provision of implements to Katsina farmers. Governor Radda, while speaking with the management of the foundation during an official trip to South Korea, requested for the extra funding and expansion of the project scope to cover many Katsina communities.

    In their response, the management of the foundation agreed to continue working in Katsina. They also pledged to jointly develop a framework for the operationalization of the extension, and expansion of the project as requested by Governor Radda.

    KOICA Pledges Support for Katsina’s Rural Development

    Similarly, Governor Dikko Radda, penultimate Monday, visited the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for a partnership agreement between KOICA and the Katsina State Government. Governor Radda was accompanied to KOICA corporate head office, by the acting Nigerian Ambassador to South Korea, Mr. Ferdinand O. Nwonye, where he discussed his experience with KOICA and the time he spent at their facility in 2016, as the Director General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN.

    He requested additional support from KOICA in the area of the provision of small farming implements and small-scale irrigation technologies to Katsina farmers. During the meeting,

    Governor Radda also solicited KOICA’s support in the training and development of ICT for the state civil service, as well as the Katsina State Enterprises Development Agency (KASEDA), among others.

    Responding, the KOICA management assured Governor Radda that they will work with their country office in Nigeria to support Katsina state.

    •Kaula Mohammed is the Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the Katsina State Governor.

  • Bandits have taken over some schools in Katsina – Governor Radda

    Bandits have taken over some schools in Katsina – Governor Radda

    The Katsina state governor, Umar Dikko Radda, has declared that quite a number of schools in the state have been taken over by the activities of bandits.

    Radda made this known while speaking at the 7th and 8th combined convocation ceremony of the Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA), Katsina state. 

    He, however, said that his administration will remain unrelenting in decimating the terrorists in the state. 

    He said: “There is no education without security.

    “Many of our frontline local government areas have had their schools closed due to banditry and in some cases, schools have become dens for bandits’’.

    “This is why we established the Katsina state community Watch Corps to fight insecurity and create a foundation for our youth to learn and thrive’’.

    “My administration has made out-of-school children a main priority and we will continue to work with all partners to reduce the numbers. 

    Read Also: Radda woos Saudi investors

    “We will also work with religious schools to provide academic tools for students in a bid to prepare them for the world ahead’’.

    “All the actions we have embarked upon as government are designed to lay the foundation for a brighter future for the people of Katsina.

    “In addition to education, we have focused on agriculture, health and social care, MSMES, and internally generated revenue.”

  • Radda woos Saudi investors

    Radda woos Saudi investors

    Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda has informed business moguls and Saudi Arabian investors that the state has been endowed with abundant agricultural and mineral resources they can invest in.

    Radda stated this on the sidelines of the Saudi-Africa Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Kaula in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Katsina.

    He said the governor told the prospective investors that the state had an enabling environment for business investments to safely thrive.

    “The recently launched Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KCSWC), together with other conventional security agencies, have curbed insecurity threats in the state.

    “We have also done a lot to harness the potential of Katsina’s agricultural sector, in line with the vision of my administration.

    “We aim to boost all-year-round farming through a robust irrigation technology system, with a view to creating jobs for our teeming population,” Kayla said.

    He quoted Radda as saying that the state had untapped agricultural and mineral resources waiting for interested investors to invest in.

    “Katsina State is also endowed with various mineral resources, such as lithium, gold, diamonds, and uranium, among others.

    “Your investments in the agriculture and mineral resources’ sectors will no doubt ensure the prosperity of our people.

    Read Also: Katsina at 36: Radda lauds founding fathers, seeks support

    “But more importantly, you shall also greatly benefit from your investments,” Radda added.

    The governor told the prospective investors that Katsina State was a sub-national government and assured them of their safety and well-being by the time they come and invest in the state.

    Kaula said that the meeting was chaired by President Bola Tinubu and the Saudi Arabian Minister of Trade and Investment, Khalid El-Falih.

    The meeting was attended by some captains of industries from Nigeria, led by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu and Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite.

    Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and his Niger counterpart,  Umar Bago, were among those who attended the meeting.

  • I won’t negotiate with bandits, says Radda

    I won’t negotiate with bandits, says Radda

    The Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda has said that his administration won’t in any way negotiate with bandits.

    The governor said this when he visited the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, yesterday.

    Radda said: “The last administration negotiated with the bandits, and the negotiation did not yield any result. We felt that we have to use both kinetic and Non-Kinetic approaches to address the issue. As it is now, we can’t negotiate with the bandits at the point of their advantage. We want to negotiate with the bandits when they have received a lot of pressure, so that they will now come out and say they are ready for negotiation. At that point, we will negotiate with them and resettle them back to society.”

    Read Also: Katsina at 36: Radda lauds founding fathers, seeks support

    The governor said he had launched the Community Security Watch in the state to complement the efforts of the military and other security agencies in the ongoing battle against bandits.

    He said he has visited the Defence Headquarters to strengthen the existing relationship between the state and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

    Radda commended the military for their role in ensuring security in the state and across the country.

    Chief of Defence Staff thanked the governor for the initiative of community security watch, and called on other governors to emulate him on that aspect.

    He advised governors of states in the Northwest to come together on how to reduce the security challenges affecting the North West region.

  • I won’t negotiate with bandits, says Radda

    I won’t negotiate with bandits, says Radda

    The Katsina state governor, Dikko Umar Radda, has said that his administration won’t in any way negotiate with bandits but rather he is determined to apply sufficient military force to compel the bandits to come to the negotiating table.

    The governor said this when he visited the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, in his office on Thursday, October 26.

    Rada said: “The last administration in the state what they did was to negotiate with the bandits, and the negotiation did not yield any result.

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    “We felt that we have to use both kinetic and Non-Kinetic approaches to address the issue. As it is now we can’t negotiate with the bandits at the point of their advantage. We want to negotiate with the bandits when they have received a lot of pressure so that they will now come out and say they are ready for negotiation. At that point, we will negotiate with them and resettle them back to society.”

    The governor said he had launched the Community Security Watch in the state to complement the efforts of the military and other security agencies in the ongoing battle against bandits.

    He said he has visited the Defence Headquarters to strengthen the existing relationship between the state and the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

    Rada commended the military for their role in ensuring security in the state and across the country.

    In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff thanked the governor for the initiative of the community security watch and called on other governors to emulate him in that aspect.

    He advised governors of states in the North West to come together on how to reduce the security challenges affecting the North West region.

  • Katsina at 36: Radda lauds founding fathers, seeks support

    Katsina at 36: Radda lauds founding fathers, seeks support

    Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has lauded the founding fathers of the state and as well as extended his congratulations to the people, as part of activities marking the  state’s 36th anniversary since its creation.

    Katsina State was created on September 23,1987 by the then President Ibrahim Babangida, alongside some states

    Radda also acknowledged that Katsina has made significant strides in socio-economic growth over the past three decades despite facing developmental challenges.

    He further expressed his profound gratitude to Gen. Babangida for his visionary role in creating the state and the vital contribution of prominent Katsina public figures who  advocated the state’s creation 36 years ago.

    Read Also: Katsina at 36:  Radda lauds founding fathers, solicits citizens’ support

    He said: “We are indebted to General Babangida for his wisdom in birthing our dear state. We must celebrate this historic milestone. Our great Katsina owes its existence to the visionaries who tirelessly fought for its creation.

    ” Katsina State, despite being one of the younger states in the federation, stands out due to its abundant natural resources and exceptional human capital’.

    ”Katsina has produced two Nigerian presidents, including a Vice President, and numerous other distinguished figures who have contributed significantly to national development.”

    Acknowledging the security challenges facing the state, Radda reassures the people that his administration is working diligently to restore peace and security.

    The state government has implemented effective policies and allocated adequate funds to support security agencies.

  • Banditry: Governor Radda calls for more security personnel in Katsina

    Banditry: Governor Radda calls for more security personnel in Katsina

    The Commandant General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi, has met with the Governor of Katsina state, Dikko Umar Radda on possible deployment of more personnel of the Corps to areas troubled by bandits and kidnappers in the state.

    Governor Radda, who visited the headquarters of the Corps in Abuja, said there is an urgent need for reinforcements of more security personnel in the state considering the levels of threats to peace and security by the activities of bandits and kidnappers.

    He praised the leadership of the Corps for its steadfastness and commitment to ensure peace and tranquility, saying his visit was aimed at solidifying the existing cordial relationship between the state and the NSCDC.

    He lamented the inadequate number of personnel across security services which has impeded the expected success in the fight against insecurity.

    Read Also: Katsina governor Radda congratulates Tinubu on victory at PEPT

    He explained that the state has trained and engaged the service of about one thousand five hundred (1,500) indigenes to assist the conventional security agencies in the state.

    Radda said: “I believe with the engagement of the locals in the form of civilian Joint Task Force (JTF), combined with the conventional security, we will go a long way in combating insecurity and reduce it to the barest minimum.”

    In his remarks, the Commandant-General assured the Governor of the Corps’ commitment to curbing insecurity by employing both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to achieving results.

    Audi asserted: “I understand that Katsina State had experienced some bandit attacks in the last couple of years.

    “Its vulnerability which is partly due to its big size and geographical location as a state bordering other states in the North and the Niger Republic is of great concern.

    “But be rest assured that with the ongoing recruitment in the Corps, more men would be deployed to Katsina to strengthen security in the state.”

  • Radda approves payment of medical bills for terrorist attacks’ victims

    Radda approves payment of medical bills for terrorist attacks’ victims

    Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda has approved the payment of the medical bills of victims of the terrorist attacks.

      A statement quoted the governor as giving the directive in Matazu Local Government Area while receiving victims of banditry attacks in the area

      Among the victims were Malam Aliyu Kabiru of Salihawa Fulani Village, Matazu Local Government area who suffered a severe spinal cord injury due to a gunshot wound inflicted by the assailants.

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     It said: ”The primary focus of the governor’s efforts is the provision of immediate aid to individuals that sustained gunshot injuries during the attacks.

     “‘The governor’s gesture extended to covering the medical expenses associated with the operation.

    “The governor’s efforts are not only aimed at healing wounds but also at sending a clear message of solidarity and support to the people of Katsina State.

     “Governor Radda’s support extends also to the brave soldiers who sustained injuries while responding to the unfortunate incidents. These wounded soldiers are receiving treatment at the General Amadi Rimi Specialists Hospital in Katsina”

     The governor further expressed his deepest condolences to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, as well as to the grieving family of L/Cpl Mohammed Tijani.