Katsina Governor, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, has presented a proposed budget of N826.64 billion for the 2027 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly.
Tagged ‘Building Your Future,’ the budget, according to Radda, was designed around the needs and priorities identified by residents across the state.
Presenting the proposal before lawmakers, the governor said N637.91 billion, representing 76.98 per cent of the total budget, was earmarked for capital expenditure, while N190.73 billion, or 23.02 per cent, was allocated to recurrent expenditure.
He said the proposed budget was N69.23 billion lower than the approved 2026 budget, describing the reduction as a reflection of a more realistic assessment of the state’s revenue and expenditure outlook.
Radda said his administration adopted a ‘pragmatic, disciplined and realistic’ approach in preparing the fiscal plan, with ministries, departments and agencies required to justify their expenditure proposals based on available resources and the government’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,’ he said.
The governor said the 2027 budget was largely shaped by citizens’ demands gathered during a simultaneous budget consultation exercise conducted across the state’s 361 wards.
He explained that each ward would receive a special project selected by its residents, while information obtained from the exercise would guide government interventions in agriculture, small businesses, water and sanitation, women’s empowerment, environmental protection 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,’ Radda said.
He assured residents and members of the House of Assembly that his administration would continue to exercise prudence in implementing the budget and uphold integrity in the discharge of its responsibilities.
Radda also urged public servants, ministries, departments and agencies to maintain the administration’s commitment to effective service delivery as the state enters another fiscal year.
He directed ministries and parastatals to prepare adequately to defend their budget proposals before the lawmakers and ensure that the people of Katsina benefit from the spending plan.
‘We are grateful to have met our constitutional obligation by preparing and submitting a budget for the benefit of our citizens,’ the governor said.