As part of efforts to ensure community inclusion in the budgeting process, residents of Arewa (A) constituency in Katsina Local Government Area have presented their demands to the Katsina State Government for inclusion in the 2026 budget.
The town hall meeting, held on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at the premises of Yari Primary School in Arewa (A), had delegates from five communities: Yari, Mannar Gangare, Madawaki, Gambarawa, and Bara Zaki.
Hikaya Newspaper reports that the communities were represented by Malam Amadu (Yari), Barrister Umar Ahmad Jibrin (Mannar Gangare), Alhaji Aminu (Madawaki), Alhaji Bishir Abu Gambarawa (Gambarawa), and Alhaji Lawal Halliru (Bara Zaki).
Key demands raised by the community representatives included: dredging and filling of ponds in their neighborhoods, provision of electricity, construction of hospitals, improvement of both Islamic and Western schools, access to clean and sustainable drinking water, support for persons with special needs, youth empowerment through vocational training, and financial support for women to enable self-reliance. They also lamented the absence of any secondary school in their area, which poses a threat to their children’s education.
Director Alhaji Dikko Abdulaziz and other constituency stakeholders commended the initiative, appreciating the opportunity given to the people to express their concerns. Similarly, the Chairman of the Community Development Program (CDP), Alhaji Abdullahi Aliyu, explained the purpose of the meeting and thanked the Katsina State Government for organizing the engagement.
Prominent attendees included Alhaji Sule Yari (Yarin Katsina), Alhaji Ahmed Abubakar, Alhaji Shehu Isa Kaita, Alhaji Umar Abdulkadir, Alhaji Abubakar Mamman Gege, the representative of Arewa (A), Malam Dangaje, Malam Abba Bala, Malam Habibu, the youth representative, and the representative of persons with disabilities, among others.
At the end of the meeting, the people renewed their appeal to the government to accept and implement their demands, while commending the administration for ongoing development efforts across the state.