Radda takes office as Katsina gov, vows to tackle insecurity

Former Director-General of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr. Dikko Radda, has been inaugurated as Katsina State governor. 

The ex-Chief of Staff to immediate past Governor Aminu Masari, in his remarks, yesterday, vowed to tackle the pervasive insecurity in the state.  Radda, who was elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), pledged: “The insecurity issue will be paramount to this administration. I will deploy available resources to end banditry and criminality across the state. We will also engage communities in this fight to ensure security is sustained. 
 
“For those affected by banditry and insecurity, I assure you that my administration will do its best to build your lives, focus on your mental wellbeing and provide support to women and girls, who have endured unimaginable pains.
 
“To the bandits I say, abandon your guns and reintegrate into the society or face the full wrath of the law. And I urge our youths to shun drug abuse, time wasting and criminality.
 
“We will work with relevant law enforcement agencies to provide social order and secure the state.”

The governor warned that he would not hesitate to sack any underperforming member of his cabinet.  He said his government would be guided by a policy document known as Building Your Future Strategic Policy, which was reviewed by more than 200 of the state’s brightest minds. 
 
Radda assured the people that employment and promotion within the civil service would be based on merit.  He promised to invest in agriculture as the mainstay of the state’s economy, urging councils to leverage their comparative and competitive advantages. 
 
The governor said a Treasury Single Account (TSA) would be introduced by his administration to plug leakages in payroll and overhead.