Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, says reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are giving states greater capacity to execute projects and meet salary and pension obligations without relying on loans.
Radda made the claim on Sunday during the Tinubu/Dikko Assured (TDA) 2027 Islamiyya Teachers’ Empowerment and School Commissioning programme, which also featured the virtual commissioning of 45 solar streetlights at the Continental Events and Sports Complex in Katsina.
According to a statement issued by the Katsina State Government, the governor said his administration had executed projects valued at more than ₦30 billion without borrowing while maintaining the regular payment of salaries and pensions.
Radda said the performance of any administration should be assessed through measurable results rather than political rhetoric or negative narratives.
“Once leaders make promises to the people, they have a responsibility to fulfil those promises. Leadership is built on trust, not deception,” the governor said.
He contrasted the current situation with previous periods when Katsina relied on loans to meet salary obligations, saying the state government was now able to execute projects without borrowing.
“Today, there is no sector where we are taking a loan to execute a single project in Katsina State. We are paying pensions and meeting our obligations to the people of Katsina,” he said.
Radda Donates ₦7 Million to Islamiyya Teachers
The governor commended the TDA initiative for focusing on grassroots beneficiaries, particularly teachers in Islamiyya schools.
As part of the programme, Radda announced a personal donation of ₦10,000 to each of the 690 beneficiaries, amounting to ₦6.9 million, which he rounded up to ₦7 million.
He also called on individuals, organisations and philanthropists to contribute to community development, arguing that government alone could not meet all the intervention needs of the people.
Radda urged residents to guard against misinformation that could overshadow development efforts and challenged political aspirants to present concrete blueprints for addressing challenges facing citizens.
Masari Defends Tinubu, Radda Performance
Former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari also used the event to defend the performance of the Tinubu and Radda administrations.
Masari said political leaders had a responsibility to prioritise the welfare and development of the people and described as hypocritical anyone who refused to recognise what he called the achievements of President Tinubu and Governor Radda.
He pointed to major Federal Government infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and other strategic roads, arguing that improved infrastructure would create economic opportunities and support agricultural development.
Masari also commended improvements along the Kaduna-Abuja Road, describing them as evidence of the impact of effective leadership.
TDA Expands Support for Islamiyya Schools
The Director-General of Tinubu/Dikko Assured, Umar Ahmed Zayyad, said the organisation had expanded its programmes to support teachers and beneficiaries of Islamiyya schools.
Zayyad said the initiative was inspired by Tinubu’s leadership and recalled that the President had expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Radda administration during his visit to Katsina.
He also cited the state government’s claim that more than ₦30 billion worth of projects had been implemented without loans and urged residents to continue supporting development initiatives.
The Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Katsina State, Bala Abu Musawa, commended Radda’s empowerment programmes and development initiatives.
Musawa said the state had remained politically stable because of cooperation among political leaders and expressed confidence that the APC would win the forthcoming elections across Katsina State.
The event was attended by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir; members of the Katsina State Executive Council; the District Head of Safana, Alhaji Sada Rufa’i; Yariman Katsina; business community leaders and other dignitaries.
Source: Statement issued by the Katsina State Government through the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, on August 16, 2026.
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