Not long ago, a campaign clip of Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda began making the rounds again on social media. In the short video from 2023, he pledged to operate an open government if elected, promising to tell Katsina people what the state received from Abuja and how every kobo was spent.
The opposition seized the moment, pushing the clip as though it were evidence of a broken promise. The video went viral. But those who live in Katsina and follow the state’s governance know the truth: that promise is not only fulfilled—it has become routine, woven into the very structure of government.
In Katsina today, nothing happens behind closed doors. No ministry, department, or agency spends a kobo without a press release from the Chief Press Secretary. These releases are not sporadic—they are daily, detailing disbursements and decisions as they happen.
Every week, after the State Executive Council meeting, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Bala Salisu Zango—joined by other commissioners when necessary—steps before the press. Together, they explain what was approved, how much it will cost, and why it matters to the people.
Take for instance August 15, 2025. After the Council’s 11th meeting, the government announced projects ranging from the procurement of water treatment chemicals, to the completion of the ₦362 million Waqaf Library Complex, to the award of a ₦723 million contract for external works at the Special Model Secondary School in Radda. It was all laid bare, live to the media, with nothing hidden.
And it doesn’t stop there. At the end of every month, the Deputy Governor himself faces the press, summarizing expenditures for the period. This monthly ritual has become an accountability tradition, unmatched in many other states.
Transparency is not only about announcements—it is about evidence. Katsina State has taken the extra step of publishing its budgets and performance reports in full detail for the world to see.
The 2025 Approved Budget, for example, stands at ₦682.244 billion. Out of this, about ₦524 billion (76.85%) was earmarked for capital projects—roads, schools, hospitals, empowerment programs—while ₦158 billion (23.15%) went to recurrent expenses. Sectoral allocations were also spelled out: ₦302 billion for the economy, ₦275 billion for the social sector, and ₦98 billion for administration. Every figure, every sector, is documented and available to citizens.
But Katsina went further. The government publishes quarterly budget implementation reports, showing what was actually spent. In the Second Quarter of 2025, for example, the Ministry of Health had ₦2.5 billion approved for renovations and upgrades of general hospitals. By mid-year, ₦984 million had already been spent. In the same period, over ₦1.25 billion out of ₦1.6 billion budgeted for NG-CARES Community Livelihood Grants had been disbursed, empowering rural communities and vulnerable households.
These are not abstract promises—they are concrete disbursements that anyone can verify.
As for the funds Katsina receives from the federal government, the figures are no secret. Every month, after the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meets, the breakdown of allocations to all states and local governments is published nationally. In May 2025, for instance, FAAC shared ₦1.659 trillion among the three tiers of government, with states collectively receiving ₦577.8 billion. Katsina’s share, like that of every other state, was reported openly by national newspapers and online platforms.
So when the governor promised to tell the people “what we get from Abuja,” the reality is that those numbers are already published each month for all to see.
Openness in Katsina under Governor Radda isn’t just about money. It’s also about policies, reforms, and outcomes. The state has adopted modern financial controls like the Treasury Single Account and joined the Open Government Partnership standards. Citizens’ budgets are simplified and published to make them easy to understand.
And on the ground, the impact is visible. In July 2025, the Katsina Vocational Training Centre graduated 634 young people in trades like tailoring, carpentry, auto mechanics, and GSM repairs—each receiving starter packs to begin a career. These programs, backed by transparent budget allocations, show exactly where the money goes: into empowering people.
So why then is the old campaign video being circulated? The answer is simple: mischief. Critics want to create the impression of a broken promise. But the evidence says otherwise. Governor Radda did not only keep his word—he built a system where transparency is constant, visible, and verifiable.
Daily press releases. Weekly council briefings. Monthly expenditure reports. Quarterly budget performance reviews. Annual published budgets. And national FAAC disclosures. These are not occasional gestures—they are institutional habits.
Governor Radda’s campaign promise of open government was not an empty slogan—it was a vision that has become reality. Every allocation is published. Every kobo spent is accounted for. Every major decision is briefed to the press.
In Katsina today, governance is not something hidden in files; it is an open book, page after page, for all to see. And that is why, no matter how many times the opposition digs up old clips, the truth remains unshaken: this governor kept his word—and continues to keep it, every single day.
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