By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Governor Uba Sani has announced a groundbreaking provision of N100 million for each of Kaduna State’s 255 political wards in the 2026 draft budget, describing it as the most extensive grassroots-focused funding intervention in the state’s recent history.
Speaking on Friday at a special town hall meeting for the public presentation of the budget, the governor said the initiative was informed by widespread citizen feedback during last year’s consultations, where communities highlighted deep developmental gaps, especially in rural areas.
Sani revealed that residents’ complaints in 2024 showed that 12 out of the state’s 23 local government areas had not benefited from even one kilometre of road construction in 12 years, prompting a shift from top-down budgeting to a ward-driven model centred on community needs.
The governor explained that the N100 million allocation per ward would empower communities to identify, prioritize, and implement their most urgent projects, including feeder roads, water supply schemes, health facilities, farm-to-market routes, security infrastructure, and economic empowerment programmes.
According to him, decisions on how each ward’s funds will be utilised “will no longer be taken by people on the high table,” stressing that the money belongs to the communities and will be spent strictly according to their priorities through structured citizen engagement processes.
He noted that a similar approach had already guided decisions at the state level. For instance, Kaduna raised its water sector budget from N10 million to N100 million following citizens’ demands during earlier town hall sessions. “The people must decide how every kobo is deployed,” he said.
Governor Sani stated that the renewed focus on the grassroots began after residents exposed years of infrastructure neglect, which informed the government’s massive ongoing road development programme active across all LGAs. He listed several projects nearing completion, including 24km inter-community links, a 35km road in Sanga, 22.5km in Soba, 24.7km in Zangon Kataf, and 14.2km in Igabi.
He added that public inputs also influenced major health investments, with Kaduna becoming the only state in Nigeria to upgrade 255 primary healthcare centres from Level 1 to Level 2, earning recognition for having the best PHC system in the Northwest. The renovation of 16 general hospitals—nine already completed—also emerged from ward-level needs assessments.
On agriculture, the governor noted that wards with large farming populations would receive tailored interventions from their allocations, complementing statewide efforts such as the distribution of nearly 900 trucks of fertilizer to smallholder farmers. He also referenced Kaduna’s recent $250 million agro-industrial investment deal, supported by the Federal Government, aimed at boosting rural incomes through value addition and expanded market access.
Sani said the state’s skill development programmes, including the Federal Government-supported TX initiative currently enrolling 90,000 youths, would similarly benefit from the ward allocations, enabling communities to sponsor vocational and digital skills training.
He further explained that major transport projects—such as the proposed BRT system and 44km light rail—would strengthen ward economies by improving mobility, opening markets, and enhancing security coordination.
The governor emphasized that the N100 million-per-ward policy is built on fairness, equity, and justice, ensuring that every community benefits “regardless of who they voted for, where they come from, or their religious affiliation.”
He concluded: “No ward, no community, no LGA will be left behind. The 2026 budget is your budget, and the N100 million is for you to decide, not for the government to dictate.”
Stakeholders at the town hall—including civil society groups, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and youth representatives—commended Governor Sani for institutionalizing citizen engagement in budgeting and applauded the administration’s progress in security and governance.
