…collaboration with FG leads price reduction, says Radda
Katsina state has witnessed a significant drop in food prices, thanks to a strong partnership with the federal government aimed at addressing insecurity and revitalizing agriculture.
Governor Umar Dikko Radda attributed this positive shift to a strategic focus on three key areas: agricultural development, economic growth through industrialization, and reducing the number of out-of-school children.
However, he noted that the most immediate and visible impact has been in the agricultural sector, driven by improved security.
Speaking on Arise Morning Show, Governor Radda, who also chairs the North-West Governors’ Forum, commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its commitment and political will in tackling insecurity, which has, in turn, boosted food production and stabilized prices.
“After our inauguration into office, we visited the President and told him that we need support to tackle insecurity in the north-west region as well as support in terms of improving agricultural productivity,” Radda explained.
“The synergy with the federal government has paid off with the creation of the Livestock Ministry and increased support for the Ministry of Agricultural.
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“This strategic partnership has led to an impressive increase in farmland cultivation. In the last farming season, we witnessed improvement in terms of land cultivation. Our farmers were able to cultivate about 95% of our land in Katsina state,” Radda noted, which has significantly contributed to the decline in food prices.
“Last year, we were buying a bag of maize for above 100,000 naira. Today, a bag of maize sells for between 50,000 to 54,000 naira,” he added, celebrating the substantial price drop.
The governor also shared details on the ongoing security dialogues, which are crucial for sustaining this agricultural revival.
“Just yesterday, I had a meeting with the Zamfara state governor and the NSA as well as the Minister of Defence where we strategized on how to holistically look at security issues and how to address them,” he said, indicating a continuous effort to maintain the peace necessary for economic activities.
Beyond agriculture, Governor Radda touched on educational initiatives, which are vital for long-term development.
“On the issue of out of school children, we are tackling it head-on. Education has received the highest budgetary allocation in 2024 and 2025.
“We are creating more schools. The initiative is to build 150 junior and senior secondary schools. 75 have been completed while 75 are ongoing. The number of available schools was inadequate to take in students being fed from the primary school system.
The governor emphasized the significant strides being made in education, noting that there is an aggressive recruitment drive for educators. “We have recruited more than 7,000 teachers in one fell swoop,” he declared.
He further detailed the comprehensive investment in the sector: “We have invested about 120 billion naira in education since we assumed office, focusing not only on training these new teachers but also on enhancing infrastructure, constructing new schools, and improving staff welfare and professional development.”
Governor Radda confidently asserted, “If a statistical survey were to be conducted today on the number of out-of-school children, we would see a dramatic decrease in that number,” highlighting the effectiveness of this multi-faceted approach to uplifting the educational landscape of the region.