By Mu’awuya Bala Idris, Katsina
The Katsina State Joint Public Negotiation Council has described the recently concluded Citizens’ Town Hall Meeting organised to gather inputs for the 2027 budget as a reflection of true democracy and a major step towards improving the living conditions of people at the grassroots.
This was contained in a statement signed and issued by the State Secretary of the council, Comrade Muntari Abdu Rumah.
Rumah said the Town Hall Meetings, which were conducted across the 361 wards of the state, provided an opportunity for people at the grassroots to, for the first time, directly voice their complaints, challenges, and demands for government attention.
According to him, the meetings brought together citizens irrespective of political differences to discuss issues affecting their communities and make valuable contributions towards government planning.
“The Citizens’ Town Hall Meeting provides an opportunity for people, irrespective of political ideology, to come together, raise their voices on problems facing their communities, and make inputs for government consideration,” Rumah said.
He added that the initiative had helped bridge the gap between the government and the people by creating a platform where citizens could directly communicate their needs.
The council secretary further explained that the meetings had restored public confidence in government, as citizens’ contributions were now being considered and reflected in the state’s annual budgets.
He noted that before the introduction of the Town Hall Meetings, ministries and government agencies often prepared budgets without adequately considering the needs and priorities of communities, who were in the best position to identify their challenges.
Rumah recalled that the initiative was introduced about three years ago by the administration of Governor Dikko Umar Radda to enable government to better address problems affecting rural communities.
He said the implementation of the 2026 budget had already addressed several community needs, particularly in the areas of water supply, education, healthcare, road construction, and other critical sectors.
While commending Governor Radda’s administration for opening its doors to listen to the voices of citizens, Rumah called for the sustainability of the Town Hall Meeting initiative.
He also urged community leaders to always be sincere and transparent when presenting the needs of their people, stressing that the platform should be used for the overall development and progress of communities across Katsina State.
