Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has approved the appointment of seven new officials to strategic positions in his administration, moving swiftly to strengthen key government institutions following a wave of resignations by political appointees in recent days.
The appointments come as the administration seeks to sustain the implementation of its Building Your Future agenda amid recent changes within the state cabinet.
Leading the appointments is renowned Islamic scholar and prominent JIBWIS leader, Sheikh Nasiru Funtua, who was named Chairman of the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board.
Also appointed as Special Advisers to the Governor are Sirajo Batagarawa and Abubakar Kusada.
Radda said the appointments, announced on Tuesday, were based on merit, competence and proven capacity to deliver, urging the new appointees to regard their appointments as a call to selfless service and to place the interests of Katsina State above personal considerations.
The governor said Funtua’s appointment reflected his administration’s commitment to credible leadership, sound religious knowledge and responsible stewardship in the management of pilgrims’ affairs, expressing confidence that the new chairman would strengthen the Board’s operations and enhance the welfare of intending pilgrims.
Batagarawa joins the administration with an extensive professional background spanning law, academia, public administration and security.
A lawyer and quantity surveyor with a PhD in Law from the University of London, he previously served as a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Public and International Law at Nile University of Nigeria.
His career also includes service in the Department of State Services as well as senior administrative positions in the offices of the President and Vice President.
Kusada brings years of experience in education, administration, and human resource management.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education (English) from the University of Jos and is pursuing a Master’s degree in English Language at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma.
Before joining the Transmission Company of Nigeria, where he rose to the position of Assistant Manager, he served in various administrative capacities at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma.
Also appointed were Shamsuddeen Dutsin-Ma as Director-General of the Katsina State Erosion and Watershed Management Agency (KEWMA) and Muhammad Musa as Commander-General of the Katsina State Hisbah Board.
According to the governor, Dutsin-Ma’s more than two decades of experience in executive leadership, strategic management, logistics, agribusiness, procurement and investment would strengthen the state’s efforts in erosion control, watershed management and environmental sustainability.
Radda also appointed Ma’aruf Kawo Dandume as Senior Special Assistant and Lawal Musa as a member of the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board.
Musa, who holds postgraduate qualifications in public administration, financial management and local government studies, is expected to contribute to improved administration and service delivery at the Pilgrims Welfare Board.
Congratulating the appointees, the governor charged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by embracing accountability, diligence and measurable performance while working closely with relevant stakeholders to translate government policies into tangible benefits for the people of Katsina State.
The appointments come after a series of resignations involving political office holders in the state.
Among those who recently stepped down were former Commander-General of the Katsina State Hisbah Board, Aminu Usman (Abu Ammar); Deputy Commander of Operations, Muhammad Maslaha; former Chairman of the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Kabir Bature; Special Adviser on Youth Development, Abubakar Tsanni; and Senior Special Assistant on Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation, Fadila Dalhatu.
While the resignations have generated political interest because of their timing, suggestions that they were connected to alleged intra-party differences within the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress remain unconfirmed.
Some political observers and unnamed party sources have speculated about possible political realignments, but no official explanation has been provided by the affected former appointees or the state government.
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