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By Tracy Moses
The Katsina State Government says it has created over 35,903 jobs and invested about ₦74.9 billion in its ongoing Urban Renewal Programme spanning all three senatorial districts of the state.
Deputy Governor Malam Faruq Lawal Jobe disclosed this on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ review meeting on the performance of Governor Dikko Radda’s “Build Your Future” agenda.
According to him, the employment opportunities cut across critical sectors of the state economy.
“The jobs were created through the recruitment of teachers, the appointment of ward heads, and the engagement of community watch groups, vigilantes, hunters, and religious leaders in peacebuilding efforts,” Jobe explained.
He said the Urban Renewal initiative has delivered far-reaching infrastructure projects, including the 24-kilometre Eastern Bypass, the dualisation of eight major roads within Katsina metropolis, as well as reconstruction works in Daura and Funtua. Critical rural road projects have also been completed.
On education, the deputy governor described the administration’s efforts as a “revolution.”
“The education revolution is undeniable,” he said. “We constructed 160 new classrooms, rehabilitated 258 others, trained 18,000 teachers, established three model schools, and upgraded 152 schools under the AGILE scheme. The government has also fully settled examination fees and awarded ₦6.18 billion in scholarships to 174,451 students, including overseas beneficiaries.”
He stressed that agriculture remains a backbone of the Radda administration’s policies.
“Every year, we distribute 400,000 bags of subsidised fertiliser. We have procured 400 tractors, supplied 4,000 irrigation pumps, and even introduced the Goat Rearing Initiative to empower women and herders,” he stated.
Jobe added that workers’ welfare had also been prioritised.
“We cleared ₦24 billion in gratuities, implemented wage awards, undertook civil service reforms, and distributed large-scale Ramadan food packages,” he said.
In the health sector, the deputy governor noted that 260 ward-level primary healthcare centres were constructed or upgraded, general hospitals were renovated, dialysis and diagnostic centres established, and pharmaceutical production units set up.
“We have also benefited from international donations of medical equipment, which has further boosted healthcare delivery across the state,” he added.
On water supply, he said the government had invested ₦14.6 billion, rehabilitating major dams, upgrading irrigation schemes, and converting rural hand pumps to solar-powered boreholes.
The deputy governor also highlighted reforms in land administration through the Katsina Geographic Information System (KATGIS).
“We have modernised land administration, developed new masterplans, procured heavy machinery, and paid ₦3.17 billion in compensation to landowners affected by government projects,” he explained.
In the area of energy, he revealed that the state spent ₦3.84 billion on solar mini-grids, installed 74 kilometres of solar streetlights, restored high-tension power lines, and upgraded transformers across communities.
Jobe assured that the Radda administration would continue to pursue development projects that directly impact the lives of the people.
“The Build Your Future agenda is not just a slogan. It is a promise to the people of Katsina that we will continue to deliver infrastructure, jobs, and opportunities that secure their future,” he said.