Stop Blaming Governors Alone for Hardship, FG Gets 52% of Federation Revenue, Charges Radda
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda has urged Nigerians to broaden their assessment of responsibility for the country’s growing economic hardship, arguing that state governors should not be blamed alone for the challenges facing citizens.
Speaking during a media interaction, Governor Radda noted that under Nigeria’s revenue-sharing arrangement, the Federal Government receives about 52 per cent of funds from the Federation Account, while the remaining 48 per cent is shared among the 36 states and 774 local government areas. According to him, this imbalance is often ignored in public discourse whenever economic hardship worsens.
Radda said public anger is frequently directed at governors and local councils, despite their comparatively limited access to national revenue.
He stressed that the federal government’s dominant share places it in a stronger fiscal position and should naturally attract greater scrutiny when citizens assess how public resources are managed.
The governor cautioned against blanket accusations of corruption against state governments, describing such generalisations as unfair and misleading.
He argued that leaders should be evaluated individually based on performance, transparency and service delivery rather than being collectively blamed for nationwide economic problems.
Addressing the impact of recent economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and rising costs of living, Radda said state governments are operating under intense financial pressure.
He explained that many states struggle to meet basic obligations such as salaries, infrastructure development and social services with the funds available to them.
Radda also defended spending on capital projects, saying investments in roads, housing and other infrastructure help stimulate local economies by creating jobs and supporting small businesses.
According to him, halting development projects in the name of austerity would worsen unemployment and deepen hardship at the grassroots.
His remarks come amid sustained public frustration over inflation, food prices and declining purchasing power, as Nigerians continue to debate how responsibility for economic hardship should be shared across the three tiers of government.
The comments have reignited discussions on Nigeria’s fiscal structure, with renewed calls for greater transparency, accountability and a more balanced approach to managing and distributing national resources in order to ease the burden on citizens.
