…..Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has inaugurated a four-tier implementation structure for the ambitious Katsina One-Person-One-Tree (KT1T) initiative, urging residents to take personal responsibility for restoring the state’s environment.
By:Abdullahi Inuwa
The governor inaugurated the committees at the Banquet Hall of Muhammadu Buhari House, Katsina, in the presence of the 34 local government chairmen and their councillors, who are expected to play key roles in driving the tree-planting campaign to the grassroots.
The KT1T initiative is anchored on the principle of “One Person, One Tree, One Responsibility,” with the objective of mobilising residents across Katsina to actively participate in tree planting, environmental protection and climate restoration.
Governor Radda said the newly inaugurated structure was designed to ensure that the programme does not remain a government policy on paper but becomes a sustained community-driven environmental movement.
According to him, the framework establishes clear lines of responsibility for implementation, coordination, monitoring and accountability across the state.
The structure consists of a Central Steering Committee, three Zonal Monitoring Committees, Local Government Supervisory Committees and Ward Implementation Committees. Together, the bodies are expected to coordinate the programme from the state level down to individual communities.
Radda, however, cautioned that the establishment of committees should not be mistaken for success.
He stressed that the real test of KT1T would be measured by the number of trees successfully planted, protected and nurtured to maturity.
“The success of this initiative will not be determined by the number of committees we inaugurate, but by the trees that survive, grow and continue to serve future generations,” the governor’s position suggests.
The governor announced that the official statewide launch and rollout of the KT1T initiative has been scheduled for September 10, 2026, signalling the beginning of a broader environmental campaign across the 34 local government areas.
He described the initiative as an investment in both the present and future generations, stressing that his administration was determined to create an enduring environmental legacy for Katsina State.
Speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Climate Change, Prof. Alamin Mohammed, said the inauguration marked a significant step towards establishing the institutional machinery required to translate the KT1T vision into action.
He explained that the Central Steering Committee would provide strategic leadership and coordination, while the three Zonal Monitoring Committees would oversee activities within their respective zones.
The Local Government Supervisory Committees and Ward Implementation Committees, he added, would take the campaign directly to communities and ensure that the programme receives effective grassroots participation.
Prof. Alamin reiterated that the ultimate yardstick for KT1T would be the planting, protection and survival of trees rather than the number of officials assigned to committees.
He assured that the Climate Change Secretariat would work with ministries, departments and agencies, local governments and community stakeholders to ensure that the programme produces measurable and lasting environmental gains.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mallam Bashir Tanimu, said the success of the programme would depend heavily on the dedication of members of the various committees.
Tanimu stressed that local government chairmen, councillors and community leaders must take ownership of the initiative if the tree-planting campaign is to achieve its long-term objectives.
He drew attention to the role of deliberate environmental policies in shaping greener communities, recalling the historical contributions of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, to environmental conservation.
He noted that many trees and mango plantations that continue to provide benefits today were planted decades ago as a result of deliberate policies and sustained community participation.
The commissioner therefore urged local government and ward-level officials to ensure that KT1T produces a lasting impact rather than becoming a short-term campaign.
In a further show of commitment, the Deputy Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Alhaji Rabo Tambaya Danja, reaffirmed the readiness of the state’s 34 local government chairmen and 361 ward councillors to support the initiative.
He assured the state government that the local councils would mobilise residents and community stakeholders to participate actively in the programme.
With the implementation framework now in place, attention is expected to shift from planning to action as Katsina prepares for the September 10 statewide rollout.
The KT1T initiative is therefore poised to become one of the state’s major grassroots environmental campaigns, with its success ultimately depending on whether the trees planted today survive to provide shade, improve the environment and benefit generations yet unborn.
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