Residents across Jigawa State are celebrating after Governor Umar Namadi signed the Polling Unit Development Fund Bill into law, a move aimed at bringing development directly to the grassroots. The new law is expected to strengthen community-based development, reduce hardship, and give local residents the power to decide projects that……
Residents across Jigawa State are celebrating after Governor Umar Namadi signed the Polling Unit Development Fund Bill into law, a move aimed at bringing development directly to the grassroots.
The new law is expected to strengthen community-based development, reduce hardship, and give local residents the power to decide projects that matter most to them.
Governor Umar Namadi says the initiative is designed to move government closer to the people by allowing every polling unit to access direct funding for small but impactful community projects.
According to the governor, each polling unit will receive two hundred and fifty thousand naira monthly to support local development priorities such as the maintenance of schools, mosques, boreholes, drainage systems, waterways, and other essential public facilities.
Jigawa State has about 287 polling units, and with the implementation of the law, over seventy-one million naira will be injected monthly into grassroots development across the state.
Governor Namadi says the fund will empower communities to take ownership of their development by deciding what projects they need most, rather than waiting entirely for government intervention.
Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Haruna Aliyu Dangyatin, says the law reflects the government’s commitment to inclusive governance and community participation.
He explained that the fund would reduce overdependence on government while promoting accountability, self-reliance, and faster delivery of basic services at the local level.
Some residents of Dutse, including Muhammad Zangina, Dahiru Sulaiman, and Muhammad Hussaini, described the development as a welcome step, saying it would help reduce poverty and deliver visible dividends of democracy to ordinary citizens.
They commended the governor for reviving the initiative, which was first introduced during the administration of former Governor Saminu Turaki but was later discontinued by the immediate past administration.
According to them the return of the development fund could significantly improve local participation in governance and strengthen trust between government and the people.
With the signing of the Polling Unit Development Fund Bill into law, Jigawa State is taking a bold step toward grassroots transformation.
For many residents, this is more than just a policy it is a direct investment in communities, a pathway to self-reliance, and a renewed promise of development where it matters most.
The challenge now lies in transparent implementation to ensure the funds truly reach the people and deliver lasting impact.
