In a renewed drive to strengthen grassroots development and citizen participation in governance, Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi has flagged off the construction of a ₦4.47 billion feeder road project in the state.
He also commissioned several key infrastructure facilities in the Sule Tankarkar Local Government Area.
The activities formed part of the 23rd edition of the Citizens Engagement initiative, a flagship programme of the Namadi administration designed to promote transparency, accountability, and direct interaction between the government and the people.
During the visit, Governor Namadi commissioned a newly built primary healthcare centre, a modern Tsangaya model school under the state’s Almajiri education reform initiative, and a water supply facility.
He also performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the 28.2-kilometre Babban Sara–Malam Bako–Shabaru–Kirgi–Albasu Feeder Road, valued at ₦4,474,853,022.38.
The project is expected to connect more than 60 rural communities, boost agricultural productivity, and improve access to markets and essential services.
Speaking at the event, Governor Namadi said the Citizens Engagement platform had become a vital mechanism for assessing government performance and incorporating citizens’ feedback into policy and budget planning.
“We are in Sule Tankarkar, the 23rd local government to host this programme. The idea is to show what we have done in the last two years, receive feedback on ongoing projects, and gather community inputs for our future budgets,” the governor said.
He emphasised that his administration remains focused on inclusive development and people-centred governance.
“Government exists to serve, support, and empower the people. We have chosen to submit ourselves to public assessment so that we can improve and make adjustments where necessary,” he added.
Governor Namadi also lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for implementing fiscal and policy reforms that have strengthened subnational economies and enhanced state capacities for development.
He disclosed that Jigawa has been selected as one of six pilot states for the revived National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, recently approved by President Tinubu.
“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, the federal government has taken bold steps to improve citizens’ welfare. States and local governments now have more resources to deliver meaningful development,” the governor noted.
The Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, who attended the event, described the Citizens Engagement initiative as one of the most innovative and people-oriented governance models in the country.
“What Governor Namadi is doing in Jigawa should serve as a model for participatory governance across Nigeria. It strengthens democracy and deepens citizens’ trust in government,” Senator Jibrin said.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, commended the governor for his administration’s focus on education, healthcare, and infrastructure, describing his efforts as “transformative and people-driven.”
“Because of these visible impacts, Jigawa has become a model of progressive governance. The people have confidence in the APC-led administration,” she said.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Hamisu Gumel, in a press statement said, Governor Namadi’s Citizens Engagement programme has now reached all 23 local government areas of the state, with the administration pledging to sustain its community-oriented approach to governance.