Radda flags off 90,000 bags of grains for vulnerable households

By Taiwo Scholarstica

Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has flagged off the distribution of 90,000 bags of 100kg assorted grains to vulnerable households across the 34 Local Government Areas of the state.

The flag-off ceremony, held in Kaita Local Government Area on Wednesday, brought together government officials, traditional and religious leaders, community representatives and other stakeholders who hailed the intervention as timely, especially amid the economic difficulties confronting many families.

Speaking at the event, Governor Radda said the initiative was part of his administration’s commitment to ensuring that government interventions reach people at the grassroots.

“Our philosophy has remained clear: development must reach the grassroots, and the people must feel the presence and impact of government in their communities and daily lives,” Radda said.

The governor explained that the latest intervention was part of a broader programme designed to support vulnerable households while strengthening the state’s food security system.

He recalled that his administration had previously supported women involved in Koko and Kosai businesses across the 361 wards with food items and financial assistance during Ramadan. He also mentioned the intervention for 7,220 widows, with 20 beneficiaries selected from each ward and supported with 25kg bags of rice and N10,000 cash assistance.

Radda also acknowledged the contribution of the Aliko Dangote Foundation to efforts aimed at reducing the hardship faced by vulnerable residents through the distribution of rice in communities across the state.

According to him, Katsina had previously distributed another 90,000 bags of grains comprising millet, maize and guinea corn. He said lessons from that exercise had enabled the government to improve its grassroots distribution mechanism through the Community Level Committees.

“The objective is not simply to distribute more, but to distribute better to improve targeting, strengthen accountability and ensure that government support reaches those for whom it is intended,” he said.

Radda stressed that food palliatives could only provide temporary relief and could not permanently address food insecurity. He said his administration was therefore combining immediate assistance with investments in agriculture, irrigation, youth empowerment, community development and women’s economic participation.

“These investments are deliberately designed to strengthen food production because the most sustainable response to food insecurity is to empower our farmers to produce more food, reduce the cost of production, create rural employment and improve household incomes,” the governor said.

He disclosed that farmers had received subsidised fertiliser and other agricultural inputs, while irrigation support had also been expanded through solar and petrol-powered pumps, tube wells and other farm equipment.

On the distribution of the grains, Radda directed officials and community stakeholders to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability. He warned that political connections, social status or personal relationships must not deny deserving residents access to the intervention.

He urged local government councils, traditional rulers, religious leaders and Community Level Committees to ensure that the exercise was peaceful and properly monitored.

The State Coordinator of the Community Development Programme, Kamaladden Kabir, said the distribution demonstrated the government’s determination to take social interventions closer to residents.

“This intervention is not simply about distributing food items; it is about ensuring that government support reaches communities in an organised, transparent and inclusive manner,” he said.

Kabir said priority would be given to vulnerable households, widows, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, low-income families and other deserving citizens. He warned against diversion, hoarding or selling of the grains.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Zainab Musa Musawa, said the programme was designed to ease the impact of rising food prices by providing maize, millet, sorghum and rice to beneficiaries across the state.

She said the initiative would “restore hope, strengthen food security and reaffirm the government’s commitment to the welfare of its people.”

The Chairman of Kaita Local Government Area, Bello Lawal, described the intervention as timely and beneficial to residents.

“We are really happy with this initiative. We appreciate the efforts of the administration and will continue to support its programmes,” he said.

The APC State Chairman, Bashir Gambo Saulawa, also commended Radda’s leadership, saying the intervention reflected the administration’s commitment to improving the welfare of Katsina residents.

The District Head of Kaita, Sarkin Sullubawan Katsina, Alhaji Yazeed Abdulkarim Kabir Usman, similarly praised the initiative and called for a peaceful and transparent distribution.

Governor Radda, meanwhile, assured residents that his administration would continue to deploy available resources responsibly while investing in agriculture, education, healthcare, water supply, infrastructure, youth development and women empowerment.

“Government cannot claim to have solved every challenge, but we will continue to listen, continue to improve and continue to deploy the resources available to us responsibly in addressing the needs of our people,” he said.

He added, “Our vision is a productive Katsina State where farmers prosper, young people find opportunities, women participate meaningfully in the economy, and vulnerable citizens receive the support they need.”