Edith CHUKU
As part of its leadership training resources for public officials, the Katsina State government has acquired 500 copies of Dr. Dakuku Peterside’s books, Leading in a Storm and Beneath the Surface, to enhance leadership development across public institutions.
The governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, who was represented by his deputy, Malam Faruk Lawal Jobe, at the book launch held in Abuja, said the initiative aligned with his administration’s ongoing governance reforms aimed at professionalising public service and embedding a performance-driven culture.
He said, “Peterside’s works offer practical tools, not just theories that resonate with Katsina’s ongoing efforts in security management, infrastructure upgrades, education and health reforms, and climate-smart agriculture.
“In Katsina, we have been deploying these principles anchoring every reform on data, partnerships with communities, and steady, measurable progress.”
According to him, “Beneath the Surface reflects the state’s public service transformation drive, which focuses on aligning plans with budgets, outcomes with accountability, digitising critical systems, and institutionalising continuous learning.”
He revealed that the 500 copies was procured for members of the executive council, permanent secretaries, local government chairmen, heads of MDAs, and frontline managers.
The books, he said, will be funded under the training and capacity-building vote, with integration into ongoing programmes such as guided reading circles, after-action reviews, and practical clinics tied to government priorities in security, health, education, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Malam Jobe also highlighted Katsina’s crisis-leadership posture, including scenario planning, early-warning networks, and joint operations with security agencies and communities, which he said have improved citizen safety.
He pointed to rural road access, revitalised primary healthcare centres, teacher upskilling, and transparent input distribution in agriculture as evidence of reforms already delivering results.
“At the heart of our efforts is a simple ethic: turning small, disciplined actions into measurable improvements in daily life,” the Governor stated, citing the example of a teacher who described a repaired classroom roof as “a small thing with a big effect.”
The deputy governor invited development partners, the private sector and civil society to support Katsina’s capacity-building drive through mentorship, field experience and problem-solving labs.
He further lauded Dakuku, stating that he has “given us a compass for rough weather and calm waters alike. May these ideas inspire us to govern with courage, humility and discipline, so that our people, not our egos, are the beneficiaries. Together, we will continue to lead through the storm into a future of safety, opportunity and dignity for all.”
