By Ogalah Ibrahim
The Katsina State Executive Council has approved the procurement of 5,000 cartons of ammunition for the Community Watch Corps, vigilante groups, and hunters to strengthen support for security operatives in tackling banditry across the state.
The decision was among several resolutions reached during the council’s 14th regular meeting, presided over by Governor Dikko Umaru Radda on Wednesday in Katsina.
Commissioner for Information, Dr. Bala Salisu Zango, told journalists that the move was designed to deepen collaboration between formal security agencies and local security outfits.
“This initiative strengthens collaboration with our security operatives and enhances public safety, allowing residents to live without fear of banditry,” Zango said.
Other major approvals include the procurement of 30-unit hybrid buses to cut transport costs and reduce emissions, as well as the construction of the Daura Western Bypass Dual Carriageway, spanning 11.43 km, with an additional 3 km spur linking the Daura–Katsina Federal Highway.
On education, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hajiya Zainab Musa Musawa, disclosed that council approved the installation of solar-powered water systems, provision of instructional materials, science and technical equipment, CCTV cameras, solar streetlights, and backup generators for the Special Model School in Radda.
She also revealed that a state of emergency had been declared on primary school infrastructure, with the first phase focusing on rehabilitating 10 of the most dilapidated schools in each of the 34 local government areas.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hadiza Abubakar Yar’adua, announced that council approved rehabilitation and empowerment programmes for widows and vulnerable women, particularly those affected by banditry. These include skills training and settlement packages to enhance self-reliance.
In the same vein, the Director-General of the Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency (KASEDA), Hajiya Aisha Aminu Malunfashi, said the government had launched a Graduate Entrepreneurship Empowerment Programme to provide soft loans to indigent graduates for small business startups.
The council also gave approval for the remodeling and automation of the State Executive Council Chamber to upgrade from analogue to digital systems, thereby improving service delivery.
Officials stressed that the projects reflect Governor Radda’s “Building Your Future” agenda, with a strong focus on security, education, infrastructure renewal, women empowerment, youth entrepreneurship, and sustainable development.
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