Katsina State Governor Joins Hands With UNDP to Fight Insecurity in Northwest Nigeria

Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, Ph.D

The Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the official launch of the North West Prevention Facility, in the Northwest, Nigeria. 

A statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to the Governor on Digital Media, Isah Miqdad, says the historic event took place at the United Nations House, Central Business District, Abuja.

According to the statement, the MoU, which is Worth $13,000,000, is a collaboration between UNDP, Germany and Norway.

The Northwest Prevention Facility is an initiative of UNDP Nigeria. It is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Norway with the intent of supporting the states of Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina. 

Specifically, the project seeks to utilise timely and collaborative state-led prevention efforts, strengthen the security response to the insecurity in the Northwest, and utilize a climate action and sustainable livelihood approach to conflict prevention in the Northwestern states that have been battling with insecurity. 

Expressing his delight about the MoU, Governor Radda said the programme was an effective key that would unlock the chances of addressing the security challenges that are currently bedevilling Katsina State. 

According to him, his government needs support to rebuild the displaced persons and bring them back to their original settlements and ensure that they have peace. To achieve this, the approach to be deployed would include not only kinetic but also non-kinetic. 

He, further, expressed his satisfaction to UNDP and other development partners for supporting this important initiative. He also applauded the programme and assured all other partners of his government's readiness and preparedness to ensure the project records considerable success.

Mr Ashraf Usman, Head of the Northwestern office, disclosed that UNDP was encouraged by the renewed vigour for regional cooperations and synergies exhibited by the state Governors in their bid to promote peace and stability in their respective states. 

He, therefore,  congratulated Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina States on the official launch of the very important project and looked forward to very useful and impactful implementation across the states.

Those in attendance at the occasion were the Ambassador of Germany, H. E. Amb Annett Gunther; Ambassador of Norway, H. E. Amb Knut Elliv Lein; representatives of National Security Adviser and the Governors of Zamfara and Sokoto respectively and other top government officials from Katsina Katsina State.