Katsina unveils data-driven plan for sustainable development

Katsina State Governor Mallam Dikko Umar Radda declared that his administration will prioritize credible data and evidence in all aspects of governance, from planning and budgeting to development program implementation. This commitment was formalized with the launch of several key documents.

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Today’s event is far more than a ceremonial unveiling of documents. It is a public declaration of our administration’s commitment to planning with purpose, governing with evidence, and delivering development that is inclusive, measurable and sustainable.

These include the Katsina State Development Plan, State Social Protection Policy, a Multi-Sectoral Strategic Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition, a State Nutrition Policy, a General Household Survey Report, and a Statistical Yearbook. Implemented by the state Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning through the Bureau of Statistics, these documents are intended to guide the state's development trajectory and enhance the welfare of its citizens.

Governor Radda, represented by his deputy Faruk Jobe, described the launch as more than a ceremony, calling the documents "instruments that will shape the state’s development trajectory." He emphasized that reliable data is crucial for effective planning, stating, "Without reliable data, planning becomes speculative. Without planning, development becomes accidental." The administration views data and planning as central pillars of its governance approach.

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Without reliable data, planning becomes speculative. Without planning, development becomes accidental. Our administration has therefore made data and planning central pillars of governance.

The Katsina State Development Plan outlines priority areas such as agriculture, education, healthcare, infrastructure, industrialization, environmental sustainability, digital innovation, security, governance, and youth empowerment. It aligns with the administration's Building Your Future (BYF) policy, national frameworks, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Radda also noted significant security improvements, allowing farmers to resume agricultural activities in previously affected areas and restoring economic and social life. Social protection initiatives, including Zakat and Waqf programs, have assisted over 50,555 beneficiaries, mobilizing more than N1.9 billion to support vulnerable households.

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As a result, many of our farmers have returned to their farms, agricultural activities have resumed in several previously affected areas, and economic and social life is gradually being restored