Written By: Ahmed Rufa’i in Dutse
Governor Umar Namadi has launched ambitious five-year Development Plans for all 27 Local Government Areas of Jigawa State, declaring an end to the era of development documents gathering dust on office shelves.
The governor directed all local government councils to make the newly unveiled 2025–2030 Local Government Development Plans the foundation for their budgets, projects and policy decisions, warning that the success of the initiative would be judged by visible improvements in the lives of the people.
Speaking at the official unveiling held at the Council Chamber of the Government House, Dutse, Namadi described the initiative as a watershed in grassroots governance and a bold move to institutionalise evidence-based planning across the state.
“These plans must not remain on the shelves. They must guide budgets, projects, resource allocation, monitoring and accountability,” the governor declared.
According to him, each of the 27 councils now has a comprehensive roadmap tailored to its unique development priorities after months of consultations with communities, traditional rulers, women, youths, civil society organisations and development partners.
Namadi explained that although Jigawa previously experimented with local government planning through the Local Government Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (LEEDS), the initiative lost momentum due to weak implementation and poor integration with annual budgets.
He said the new plans revive strategic planning while aligning local development priorities with the state’s 12-Point Agenda, the Comprehensive Development Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The governor urged council chairmen to ensure every project and programme derives directly from the development plans, insisting that disciplined implementation not the unveiling ceremony would determine their success.
He also called on development partners, the private sector, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and community leaders to take ownership of the initiative and support its execution.
“The real measure of these plans will be better services, stronger infrastructure, improved investments and a higher quality of life for our people,” Namadi said.
Earlier, Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Ibrahim Garba, described the unveiling as a landmark achievement in the state’s quest for accountable governance and sustainable grassroots development.
He disclosed that, for the first time, all 27 local government areas now possess structured five-year development frameworks that will guide budgeting, investment decisions, project execution and performance monitoring.
Garba said the ministry would continue providing technical support to ensure effective implementation and periodic review of the plans, urging council chairmen to integrate them into their annual budgets and work plans.
He commended Governor Namadi for providing the leadership that made the initiative possible, expressing optimism that the development blueprints would accelerate socio-economic growth across Jigawa’s grassroots communities.
