May be it is as a result of the recent local government autonomy, local government areas in Katsina state are working with tangible evidences. HAMIDU SABO reports on their strides so far......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
There is no doubt local government councils every where in the world are regarded as the third tier of government and indeed many considered the local government administrations as most important because they provide services and represent the needs of grassroot communities.
Many equally view local councils as a good foundation for democracy, since it is tasked with maintaining order and improving community wellbeing. Local communities therefore expect their government to operate fairly effectively by ensuring that their money is spent wisely. This relationship hinges on trust and accountability emphasizing the need for a government that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of its people.
Locals expect their government to spend their tax wisely, devoid of waste.
To that extent, many citizens understand the purpose of local government in providing an organised system where councils exercise their power and responsibilities to work together for peace order and good government of their municipal districts.
More so, local councils entail promoting appropriate business and employment opportunities for citizens. Also, an effective local administration provides overall quality of life for people who reside in their communities to work towards improving social economic and environmental viability and sustainability for the benefits of their district.
Interestingly, laws (both federal and state) exist to provide protections for citizens, just as disability laws ensure that the services and facilities provided by local governments are accessible and equitable to everyone living within the community.
Even though not all duties and responsibilities are defined at the locals, state and federal levels, it’s a known fact that the public holds have expectations from these elected people to use their resources effectively and ways that provide desired value.
It’s along these lines that citizens expect that the rates charged for services provided by government are justifiably reasonable with the expectation that elected officials are accountable for their actions.
It’s now clear for those following developmental trends in the 34 local council areas of Katsina state that Governor Umar Dikko Radda has the technical, allocative and dynamic efficiency in handling local operations in the state. It is now becoming a subject of conversation across the state that the governor has the know-how on proposals that are in the community’s best interests for local citizens use.
Radda is being watched on his sincere zeal at fulfilling his campaign promises most especially in the area of reviving the functions of local governments operations to the best of his ability.
This can be seen in the esy he is strengthening community infrastructure and raising revenue to enable them to performing other functions related to peace, order and good governance within the period of two years of his administration.
Farming with ease in Kusada LGA
In a chat with Kusada local government council chariman, Hon Rabiu Aliyu Kusada, he said local councils are faring well under Governor Radda from inception to date, saying farmers in the 34 local governments now engage in their activities with ease.
Kusada emphasised that farmers in his area were adequately assisted with modern farming tools and that the communities benefitted from the distribution of new 100 model power tillers tractors. This he said is in addition to free distribution of fertilisers to over 6,850 farmers.
Kusada while expressing gratitude to the governor for his prompt releases of funds said his council has expended over one billion naira in providing positive development to the people within the last two years.
Hon Kusada insisted that three dams were renovated in the effort to encourage irrigation farming in some communities adding that Radda gave all the 34 local government areas free rice, beans and other grains.
Kusada disclosed that following the encouragement from Radda leadership, twelve communities were linked with good access roads for easy transportation of their farm products, saying with the present security improvement, farmers are expecting bumper harvests.
The story of Sandamu LGA
During a visit to Sandamu local government area, Alhaji Usman Nalado says he successfully ended the water scarcity that bedeviled the area for over 19 years with the sum of N84 million assistance from the state government. Nalado revealed that the availability of water is now greatly assisting the entire community since the project commissioning last year. He said the water tank provided has standard capacity of supplying 5,5,000 gallons per day.
According to him, his administration has constructed eight boreholes that ease water supply at strategic locations in the local government; therefore expressed satisfaction with the governor especially for the prompt release of funds. He revealed that in effort to fulfill his promises, over 120 teachers were recruited in addition the provision of 40 class rooms.
He also disclosed that over 1,000 women were trained and equally assisted for self-reliance as part of effort to improve the general economic growth in Sandamu.
Jibia is not left out
The story is the same in jibia local government where Alhaji Bishir Sabiu Maitan, its chairman revealed of efforts towards taking responsibility of the payment of electricity bills consumed in the last one year as it greatly alleviated the communities suffering.
“We are paying two million to KEDCO on a monthly basis as bills consumed by residents of Jibiya town.” This he said became imperative in order to assist the people since Jibia has been bedeviled by security challenges in the past 10 years.
Maitan maintained that with the assistance of Governor Radda, banditry has reduced to the berest minimum as the six Army Camps in Gurbi, Natsinta, Jibia, Faru, “Shimfida and Mazanya villages were receiving adequate assistance that included fuel, water, food and other necessities in addition to the repairs of Armored Personal Carrier (APC) belonging to the Nigeria Police Force at the cost of three million,” he said.
Jibia LG chairman stated that in collaboration with the state government and UNDP, Jibia’s 122 IDP camps are beneficiaries, just as Radda has released the sum of N60 million for the purchase of land to be used for training victims of banditry on self – reliance.
Report from Musawa LGA
The council chairman of Musawa LGA, Dr Habib Abdulkadir told journalist about the council’s effort at engaging 75 Islamic scholars for over one year offering special prayers against banditry and other crimes in the area.
“In our efforts to end notorious activities of the hoodlums, over 75 mosques and their Imams were selected to offer special prayers against banditry and the council is spending over N4 million monthly in sponsoring the prayers.”
Dr Abdulkadir also stated that peace and serenity is being restored to the area as people now sleep with their two eyes closed, saying farming and business activities are now improving drastically in Musawa and its communities.
He commended Governor Radda for providing adequate technical support even as he added that electricity has received the attention of the state administration in the last two years.
It’s same with Maiadua LGA
Hon Mamman Salisu of Maiadua local government area said the progress in health sector is speakable across the 34 local government area.
He said each of the 34 local government areas benefits from the 102 distributed projects of three new Primary Health Care centres and the construction of new staff quarters.
Hon Salisu disclosed that the issue of migration and struggling for medication has completely reduced in Maiadua due to the recent provision of qualitative drugs, health personnel, good hospitals and clinics.
Aside these, he said Governor Radda released funds for the rehabilitation and upgrading of hospitals in Kongwalam, Bumbum, Maigarani Gwajo – Gwajo and Maiadua respectively, saying his communities benefitted with over N1 billion projects beside the self–reliance training and assistance to 1,500 women.
Mani LGA on teachers recruitment
Dr Yunusa Mohammed Sani of Mani local government, while applauding Governor Radda, expressed delight over the recruitment of 7000 primary school teachers across the state in the first 100 days, saying 130 Mani indigence were successfully employed as teachers who are now posted to various schools with is a first time of its kind.
The Mani council boss said the recruitment of reasonable number of teachers encouraged him to renovate a 15 year delipadated primary school in Durbi Takusheyi and eight class rooms at Bagiwa primary schools. He added that over N1billion was spent in the construction of four new secondary schools inTsagem, Bagiwa, Randawa, and Duwan Villages.
Sani said Governor Dikko Radda deserved to be re-elected for his efficiency in the release of over N120 billion in the construction of over 152 new Junior and Senior Secondary Schools across the state, an effort that brings educational development closer to masess.