By Abbas Bamalli
The Katsina State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has begun a three-day capacity building workshop for selected government officials.
The workshop, which began in Katsina on Tuesday, was held with the state’s Bureau of Statistics to enhance participants’ knowledge of security, peace, and climate resilience.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was organised through the Norwegian Climate Security Project to strengthen the Bureau’s institutional capacity.
The Statistician General of the state, Prof. Saifullahi Sani, said the training comes at a crucial time when accurate data is needed to understand climate and conflict impacts.
He said the knowledge gained would improve participants’ ability to collect, analyse and use data for better planning, and develop evidence-based solutions to emerging challenges.
According to him, climate change and conflict remain pressing issues with far-reaching effects on communities across Katsina and beyond.
Sani noted that rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and frequent extreme weather events are worsening tensions and posing fresh threats to peace and security.
He added that Katsina had witnessed the damaging impact of climate change and conflict but also the resilience of its communities in facing such adversity.
He urged participants to harness that resilience and determination to build a peaceful and sustainable future for the state.
Sani also said Katsina ranked top in the 2025 sub-national climate governance index due to its heavy investment in data systems and clean energy.
He commended the UNDP for its support, expressing confidence that the training would contribute to a more resilient and peaceful Katsina State.
The Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Malik Anas, said the training marked another step toward achieving sustainable development and resilience in the state.
Represented by planning officer, Fatima Abdulaziz, Anas said the training would help directors of planning and research gather and process accurate data for government use.
The UNDP representative, Mr Adamu Musa, said the intervention aimed to enhance staff competence in modern data software, quality assurance, and data interpretation.
He added that the initiative has improved the Bureau’s ability to generate credible, evidence-based data to support policy formulation and climate security planning in the state.
NAN