Katsina State has approved N500 million to tackle acute malnutrition among children, alongside major relief and infrastructure measures targeting vulnerable residents and local markets.
The funding was approved by the Katsina State Executive Council during its 15th regular meeting, chaired by Governor Dikko Umaru Radda at the General Muhammadu Buhari House in Katsina on Wednesday.
N500m approved for child nutrition
The state Commissioner for Health, Musa Adamu, said the counterpart funding would be used to procure essential nutrition commodities for children affected by acute malnutrition.
The intervention is designed to ensure a continued supply of critical nutritional support while strengthening the state’s response to severe malnutrition.
Adamu said the measure reflects the Radda administration’s focus on improving healthcare and addressing the needs of vulnerable residents, particularly children.
95,000 bags of grains for vulnerable households
The council also approved the purchase of 95,000 bags of assorted grains for distribution to vulnerable and less privileged residents across Katsina.
Commissioner for Information and Culture, Dr Salisu Bala Zango, said the initiative is intended to ease the impact of current economic pressures on households struggling to meet basic needs.
The council further approved the distribution of non-food items and financial assistance to vulnerable groups.
Those targeted include:
- Orphans
- Widows
- Persons with special needs
- Other disadvantaged residents
The combination of food, cash and material assistance is aimed at providing more immediate relief to households facing economic hardship.
Four major markets to be modernised
Beyond welfare programmes, the state government is also moving to upgrade commercial infrastructure.
Special Adviser on Market Development, Mustapha Bala Batsari, said the council approved the modernisation of markets in Dandume, Daura, Mashi and Jibia.
The selected markets span Katsina’s three senatorial zones.
According to Batsari, the upgrades are expected to improve the condition of commercial facilities while supporting economic activity and strengthening the livelihoods of residents who depend on the markets.
A broader intervention
The decisions combine healthcare support, food assistance, social welfare and market development in a single package of state interventions.
At the centre of the plan is the N500 million nutrition allocation, which targets one of the most urgent needs among vulnerable children.
Meanwhile, the grain distribution and other forms of assistance are intended to provide immediate relief, while market modernisation focuses on longer-term economic activity.
For Katsina residents, the government says the measures are designed to address both urgent household pressures and the infrastructure needed to support local commerce.
