The Need For Politicians In Katsina To Engage In Capacity Building And Human Empowerment -By Sagir Gambo Saulawa

Thank be to Allah Almighty for having a new government of Katsina state und the able leadership of Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda. With hope and prayer that the 2023 would be an era of renewed hope considering the worthy persons and calibre of educated elites at all levels in the admistration. May Allah guide them and assist them in making Katsina state and Nigeria.

The new democratic government in Katsina state comes at a time of weakening economy, the rising of food and fuel prices worsen,rising insecurity and violent conflicts threaten the progress made in its democratic development. Therefore, the all political leaders has a significant work to do in improving the socio-economic status of the state. In my opinion, The government and other political leaders shall start with establishing a system of governance that is ”Capacity building and human empowerment centred” Because the human empowerment approach should be use as index of effective democratic development in the contemporary era.

Not that the food prices increased astronomically. Amog other staples, the prices shot to the roof food has become really scarce and expensive because its production has been hampered. Farmers have been scared off their farms. The unemployment figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) are frightening,The UN in Nigeria says no fewer than 70 per cent of people in Katsina are living below the poverty line.

Statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics for the last quarter of 2020 showed that Katsina has a 25.5 per cent unemployment rate with about 438,808 people unemployed. therefore, it became imperative for the state government to fight unemployment, poverty and illiteracy and be given pariority. The main driver of poverty is a lack of education and skills. The intervention we need in order to address poverty has to do with education that would give people knowledge and the skills so that production can rise, and people can look after themselves.

Unemployment has lured several youths in Katsina state into engaging in activities that appear to them to be the easiest source of livelihood and means of satisfying their wants. This anomic situation is usually a result of their inability to meet their basic needs through legitimate means. This is evident in youths’ participation in illicit activities ranging from armed robbery, pick-pocketing, political thuggery, ballot box snatching, kidnappings, drug abuse, and vandalization (The Centre for Public Policy Alternatives, 2016).

It is imperative to acknowledge the government’s efforts in addressing the unemployment problem in Nigeria through the implementation of different social intervention programmes. Some of these programmes such as the SURE-P Technical Vocational Education, Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), and Training Programme (TVET), Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP), S-Power Government Economic Empowerment Program (GEEP) Promotion of Micro and Small Enterprises, the establishment of Zakat, Sadakat and Waqf Board and ensure food security and social security programs etc. The government, the Senators of the state and national house of assembly members,the state house of representatives members should join hands and ensure the establishment of similar programmes or expansion of it at state level with work plan and also ensure the assessment, developing measurable indicators and putting in place monitoring mechanisms to ensure effective implementation of the programmes.

There is need for present political administration to join hands with all senators, national reps members and House assembly in the state to review the current empowerment programmes targeted at reducing unemployment among youths. These development process, would improve their productivity and quality of life. In my opinion, if emphasis is placed on establishing a system of governance that is human empowerment centred. I have no doubt that Katsina State is about to witness remarkable transformations in curtailing the rate of poverty and unemployment prevailing among people and socio-economic index of the state would be satisfactory considering the composition of academicians and professional and distinguish personalies in the government with Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda as new governor of the state. May your representation at various political capacity brings smiles in the faces of common man in the stats and may God bless Katsina state and Nigeria in general.

Sagir Gambo Saulawa
gambsageer12@gmail.com