From Muawuya Bala Idris, Katsina
The Katsina State Government has taken new steps to strengthen accountability and transparency at the grassroots by training 361 elected councillors on anti-corruption practices and due process in local governance.
The capacity-building programme, the first of its kind in the state, was organised by the Katsina State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (KTPCACC) following the government’s decision to grant full financial autonomy to local councils.
Speaking at the opening session, the Commission’s Chairman, Justice Lawal Garba Abdulkadir (rtd), urged the councillors to ensure that public resources and community projects are delivered transparently and in line with due process.
“This gathering is far beyond lectures or presentations. It is a renewed commitment to integrity and a reminder that every kobo misused is a meal denied,” Abdulkadir said.
He added, “We want to strengthen your capacity to stand firm against corruption, insist on due process, and hold anyone accountable so that no project is abandoned. Corruption thrives when there is silence, but with councillors as vigilant watchdogs, it will have no hiding place at the grassroots.”
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, in his address, called on the councillors to uphold integrity, transparency, and accountability as the first line of representation for their people.
He said corruption remains one of the greatest obstacles to development, draining resources, weakening public trust, and undermining service delivery.
“In line with our Building Your Future Strategic Policy Plan, the Anti-Corruption Commission has been strengthened to operate as an independent watchdog promoting fairness, transparency, and accountability,” Radda stated.
The governor commended the Commission for its investigative work, sensitisation programmes, and stakeholder engagement, describing the exercise as a practical step to protect public resources and ensure that development projects directly benefit citizens.
“Every act of integrity strengthens our state, while every misuse of office weakens it,” Radda said. “With the support of the Anti-Corruption Commission and our strategic plan, councillors now have the tools to act as true guardians of the people’s trust.”
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Bashir Tanimu, represented by his Special Adviser on Local Government Inspectorate, Lawal Rufai Safana, reminded councillors that their constitutional role is lawmaking and oversight — not contract execution.
He described them as “foot soldiers of the Anti-Corruption Commission” whose vigilance would prevent the misuse of resources at the grassroots.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Katsina State Councillors, Hon. Abdullahi Haruna Eka, expressed appreciation to Governor Radda for granting local government autonomy and conducting what he described as the first free and fair local elections in the state’s history.
He pledged that councillors across the 361 wards would uphold honesty, transparency, and accountability in line with the administration’s reform agenda.
Several experts presented papers during the programme, including Dr. Bashir Ibrahim Kurfi Hassan Usman of Katsina Polytechnic, who discussed the role of councillors in ensuring integrity in project implementation; Dr. Kamalludden Kabir, Coordinator of the Katsina State Community Development Programme (KTCDP), who highlighted how community centres across all wards are promoting citizen participation; and Dr. Kabir Umar Musa Yandaki of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, who described councillors as the most direct link between the people and government.
The Chairman of Bakori LGA, Rabo Tambaya Danja, who spoke on behalf of ALGON and the 34 council chairmen, praised Radda’s anti-corruption stance, saying both Islam and Christianity place accountability at the core of leadership.
Similarly, the Auditor-General for Local Governments, Alhaji Shuaibu Aliyu, lauded the governor’s reforms, including the Treasury Single Account and strengthened procurement processes, urging sustained collaboration to move Katsina closer to “zero tolerance for corruption.”