For the first time in decades, local government councils in Katsina State are smiling to the bank as Governor Dikko Umaru Radda implements the Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy, approves the full release of statutory allocations, and revives grassroots funding.
The announcement was made by the special adviser on Local Government Inspectorate, Hon. Lawal Rufa’i Safana, alongside the State Auditor-General for Local Governments, Alhaji Kabir Shu’aibu, during a meeting with LGA treasurers and heads of administration in Katsina.
Safana explained that councils will now receive their allocations every month starting from August 2025, noting that the last time such consistent disbursement happened was in 2015.
He cautioned council officers to strictly follow due process and proper documentation before releasing funds, warning that any diversion or abuse would be treated as fraud.
The reform, widely hailed as historic, secures councils’ entitlements from the Federation Account and restores the long-abandoned policy of allocating 10 per cent of the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) to LGAs.
Unlike in the past, communities are now directly involved in project decisions. Traditional rulers, council members, and community leaders meet to prioritise resources for boreholes, road repairs, school rehabilitation, and other essential needs, cutting out bureaucratic bottlenecks.
As Katsina State leads the way in enforcing local government autonomy, observers believe the reform could serve as a model for other states still struggling to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive.
