Katsina gov presents N828bn 2027 budget to assembly

Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, on Tuesday presented a proposed N828.64 billion 2027 budget to the state House of Assembly for consideration and passage, with nearly 77 per cent of the spending plan allocated to capital projects.

The appropriation bill, tagged “Building Your Future IV,” provides N637.91 billion, representing 76.98 per cent, for capital expenditure, while N190.73 billion, or 23.02 per cent, is earmarked for recurrent expenditure. The proposal is N69.23 billion lower than the approved 2026 budget, reflecting what the governor described as a more realistic assessment of the state’s revenue and expenditure outlook.

Presenting the bill before lawmakers, Radda said the government adopted a “pragmatic, disciplined and realistic” approach in preparing the fiscal plan, with ministries, departments and agencies required to justify their spending proposals against available resources and the administration’s development blueprint.

“We took a pragmatic, disciplined and realistic view of both revenue and expenditure. We reviewed every available funding source to ensure fiscal balance, strengthen implementation and reduce the risk of shortfalls,” the governor said.

Radda said the 2027 budget was substantially shaped by citizens’ demands following a budget exercise conducted simultaneously across the state’s 361 wards.

He said each ward would receive a special project selected by residents, while data gathered from the exercise would guide interventions in agriculture, small businesses, water and sanitation, women’s empowerment, the environment and security.

“Our people named their needs, weighed them and ranked them. This budget therefore answers the real and pressing needs of our communities, not assumptions made from afar,” he said.

The Social Sector received the largest allocation of N317.73 billion, representing 38.34 per cent, followed by the Economic Sector with N303.17 billion, or 36.59 per cent. The Administration Sector was allocated N198.55 billion, while N9.19 billion went to Law and Justice.

Five priority sectors will jointly receive N325.45 billion from the capital budget. Basic and Higher Education takes N83.82 billion, Works and Housing N71.60 billion, Agriculture and Livestock N65.88 billion, Health N53.64 billion, while Rural Development receives N50.51 billion.

The governor said the allocations were designed to strengthen education infrastructure, improve healthcare delivery, expand agricultural production, develop roads and housing, and improve infrastructure in rural communities.

Reviewing the implementation of the 2026 budget, Radda said the state had recorded progress in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure and security. As of August 28, total expenditure stood at N295.19 billion, representing 32.88 per cent of the approved budget, with capital expenditure reaching N193.02 billion.

He expressed confidence that implementation would accelerate in the remaining months of the year as ongoing projects reached completion.

“We expect this figure to close much higher in our third and fourth quarterly reports for 2026,” he said.

Radda also highlighted major investments in education, including N13.03 billion for school rehabilitation under the TESS programme, N10.53 billion under AGILE and N5.88 billion for primary school interventions through UBEC. The government also committed N2.07 billion to examination fees and N1.26 billion to scholarships.

In healthcare, he said N4.71 billion had been spent on the State Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System Programme, while more than N9.59 billion had been invested since 2025 in equipping the Medical Imaging Centre at the General Amadi Rimi Specialist Hospital, Katsina, for conversion into a cancer and imaging centre.

The governor said the government also committed N21.43 billion to fertiliser procurement and spent N3.11 billion on rural access roads to improve the movement of agricultural produce.

On security, Radda disclosed that more than N7.5 billion had been spent on security assets, allowances and operations in 2026. He acknowledged continuing challenges in frontline communities but said improved security had enabled some farmers to return to their fields.

He also identified inadequate staffing and learning materials, healthcare pressures, potable water shortages, sanitation and infrastructure deficits as key challenges confronting the state.

Radda commended the Speaker of the Assembly, Nasir Yahaya Daura, and lawmakers for what he described as a constructive relationship between the executive and legislature.

“The constructive relationship between the Executive and the Legislature remains vital to good governance,” he said, urging lawmakers to consider and pass the 2027 Appropriation Bill in good time.

Responding, the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Nasir Daura, praised Radda’s administration for its development efforts and cordial relationship with the Assembly, particularly in infrastructure, security, education, healthcare, agriculture and human capital development.

He said “the 8th Assembly had passed more than 50 bills and pledged to swiftly consider and pass the governor’s 2027 budget proposal”.

Daura also declared the Assembly’s support for Radda’s second-term ambition, Tinubu and APC candidates in 2027.

He noted that the budget presentation marked his final appearance as Speaker, expressing gratitude for his tenure and hinting at plans to serve in another legislative chamber.

“Your Excellency, permit me to make a personal remark. This will be the last time I will receive you in this capacity as Seeker of the Head of State present House of Assembly, as I look forward, by the grace of Allah, to serving our people in another chamber. I am deeply grateful to Almighty Allah for the privilege of serving under your administration as the Seeker of the 8th Assembly” Daura stressed.