The elected Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Raddahas pledged to use technology and involve the inhabitants of rural communities in the fight against banditry in the state.
Mr. Radda spoke to House of Representatives correspondents on Friday afternoon after presenting his Certificate of Return to President Muhammadu Buhari. Radda was in the Village with the state governor, Aminu Masari.
He said that when he is sworn in as governor, his administration will prioritize the fight against insecurity.
The former director general of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency (SMEDAN) said that without security, state residents would find it difficult to go to farms, schools, markets and other economic activities.
“Yes, I have said it time and time again that safety is our first priority. This is what we are going to pay close attention to because only when you have peace and security can you go to the farm, to school, to the hospital and even to the market.
“So, security is very cardinal in the economic development of any society. And agriculture is one of the top areas of employment in our state. And it is an important area of livelihood for our people, so (the government) must provide security for our people. And we promise to engage the locals (residents of local communities) and we promise to engage the use of technology to address security issues in my state,” Mr. Radda promised.
Radda said he has established strategic policy review committees that would help his administration get to work as soon as he is sworn in.
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“I think we have made our points very clear. And we’ve launched our strategic policy for the state and the day before yesterday we inaugurated our strategic policy review committees. We want to start our work immediately after taking the oath as governor and representative. So I think we’re doing everything we can now to make sure we put everything in place so that we can start working right after the swearing-in,” he said.
Radda said the president reminded her to be transparent and accountable in carrying out her duties.
Radda, who was Masari’s chief of staff before he was appointed head of SMEDAN, polled 859,892 votes to defeat his closest rival, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Yakubu Lado, who polled 486,620 votes.
Katsina, like many other states in the northwest and a part of the center-north, has witnessed a series of terrorist activities that have caused the deaths and displacement of thousands of people. Schools and markets have been attacked, while the main roads are in danger.