By Dr. Kabir Abdullahi
As a leader, your official decisions, actions or inactions can cause far-reaching positive or negative knock-on effects on the lives of the governed. To impact positively on the lives of the people from whom a leader derives his powers, a leader must design policy strategies that are people-centred. Not only designing the people-centred policies, but he must also ensure that, as much as possible, they're efficiently implemented.
Specifically, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, PhD, had this in mind as his guiding code even before he had made his gubernatorial ambition public. This, therefore, has led to the birth of his policy proposal document - Building Your Future. Therefore, to record the successful implementation of his policy actions, there must be a strong foundation. Malam Dikko, as a Governor, has started laying this necessary foundation. This foundation is depicted in the early preparation that has marked the kick-starting of the implementation of the mentioned policy manuscript. Malam Dikko Radda, the architect behind the aforementioned policy manual, started his administration in an unusual format. No sooner had he been sworn in than he started working. Within his 22 days in office, he engaged in an unprecedented commitment to lay a solid foundation for the implementation of impactful policies that will change the status of the State.
First, he made the most informed decision for appointing not only reliable but competent hands into key positions such as Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Principal Private Secretary, Director General Media, Senior Special Assistant on Digital Media and five others. In truth, these appointments have been adjudged by many people to be merit-based, and they have made many political pundits and other good people of Katsina State repose more firm confidence in the leadership commitments of Malam Dikko Umar Radda.
Second, to justify his long-standing pledges for boosting the economy of Katsina State, he made his first official tour in the state to the famous Agricultural Extension School, Kafinsoli. The visit was meant to acquaint him with the prevailing situation of the institution so that he revives it to boost agricultural output in the state. Being a well-trained agriculturalist, this remains one of the top priorities of his administration. This development has also made many people believe that Malam Dikko is the answer to the low agricultural productivity that has been plaguing the State.
Still, Malam Dikko sought many fruitful partnerships with regional and global development partners. For example, he hosted Ambassador Extraordinary Yanko, High Commissioner of Bulgaria to Nigeria at the Government House; he visited African Development Bank's Country Office, Abuja; he met with the International Non-Governmental Organisation Forum, and the Ambassador of Qatar to Nigeria, amongst others. Similarly, within the period under review, he met with the delegation of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and agreed to work as partners in the areas of education, access to healthcare for women and children, digital management systems and social care programmes. At the local stage, the governor also registered his readiness to resuscitate the 59-hectare Songhai Food Production Centre, located in Mairuwa, Faskari Local Government Area, to bridge the agricultural output deficit in the State.
And, for the State not to be a debt defaulter in its debt servicing capacity, the Governor held an emergency meeting with all the revenue-generating agencies in the State. During the meeting, he explicitly expressed his firm determination to restructure the State's Board of Internal Revenue for more revenue generation. His primary target remains that the State's Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) should be enough to pay the salaries of the Katsina State workforce without having to wait or rely substantially on the monthly shared Federal Allocation received from the centre.
Third, Malam Dikko paid an unscheduled visit to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, to ascertain the extent to which the sector needs his urgent attention. Also, this action has, further, confirmed his sincere commitment to providing effective healthcare services to the people of Katsina State. Similarly, during the visit, he paid off the medical bills of 35 patients. This munificence symbolises Dikko's sincere commitment to implementing the content of the Building Your Future document, especially as it relates to health matters.
Fourth, on security, Malam Dikko, an architect of peacebuilding, reaffirmed his administration's genuine pledges as regards restoring peace, and protecting the lives and properties of the people of Katsina State by visiting the National Institute for Security Studies aimed at building security-centred synergies on how banditry and other kidnapping-related activities in Katsina State would be brought to an end. Again, the architect continued his good work by visiting the Defence Headquarters, Abuja. During the visit, he met with the Chief of Defence Staff and discussed vital security issues that affect Katsina and its people. Furthermore, he continued his selfless service by convening stakeholders peace and security meeting to discuss effective feasible approaches to ending insecurity in the State.
Fifth, to improve effective public service delivery, the actions of the Governor have made it clear that he has zero tolerance for all forms of incompetence. To concretise this tenet, he directed that all permanent secretaries must sit for a competency aptitude test. This was objectively aimed at providing qualitative, effective and efficient public service to the people of Katsina State. In the same vein, to improve the quality of education in the State, he expressed his desire to increase the number of teachers in the State. To achieve this crucial motive, he declared that he would employ teachers in the S-Power scheme. But, this should be strictly subject to the administering of an aptitude test.
In all, if my pen were to continue writing, it would have no bus stop. This is because the list is, of course, endless. Therefore, this chain of events has brought to light how serious, sincere, committed and hardworking Malam Dikko Radda is. In my assessment and that of many others, Malam Dikko has appeared to be the most committed Governor of Katsina State, who made numerous local, regional and international engagements within less than 30 days of assuming office. As such, my pen is hugely indebted to the burden of penning down words to salute and commend his administration for achieving a lot with less than 30 days in office.
I pray that Allah continues to support him and give him the needed knowledge, wisdom, patience and determination to carry out the functions for which he was voted to execute.
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Politics