By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

The Senator representing Kaduna South Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly, Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, has continued to strengthen his reputation as a grassroots-focused lawmaker, recording notable achievements in legislation, constituency development and human capital empowerment three years after assuming office.

The senator’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr. Midat Joseph, said Katung has anchored his representation on four key pillars — legislation, oversight, constituency development and human capital investment — since his inauguration on June 13, 2023.

According to him, these efforts have translated campaign promises into tangible projects and programmes across the eight local government areas of Kaduna South Senatorial District.

Midat described the establishment of the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, as one of the senator’s landmark achievements. He said the institution was created following the successful sponsorship of the enabling bill in 2024.

The university, now operational, is the first federal university in Southern Kaduna and Nigeria’s only specialised university of applied sciences. It is expected to expand access to tertiary education and produce skilled graduates in technology, agriculture and industrial development.

In the health sector, he said Senator Katung sponsored a bill for the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Kafanchan in 2024 to improve access to specialist healthcare services. He also sponsored legislation in 2025 seeking the establishment of Sickle Cell Disorder Research and Therapy Centres nationwide, while another bill before the National Assembly proposes the establishment of a teaching hospital for the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.

Beyond legislation, Midat noted that the senator has used motions on the floor of the Senate to draw government attention to critical issues affecting his constituents.

According to him, a motion on the diphtheria outbreak in Kafanchan prompted intervention by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), while another motion on the fungal disease that devastated ginger farms contributed to the Federal Government’s release of N1.6 billion through the National Agricultural Development Fund to support affected farmers.

He added that Senator Katung also sponsored a motion calling for the revival of Nigeria’s textile industry as part of efforts to tackle unemployment and stimulate economic growth.

On oversight responsibilities, the lawmaker has presented several petitions on behalf of constituents seeking redress over alleged injustices.

In the area of constituency development, Midat said the senator has facilitated projects in education, healthcare, water supply and infrastructure.

Among the educational projects are ICT centres at Government Secondary School, Kafanchan, and Government Secondary School, Damakasuwa in Kauru Local Government Area. Eight public secondary schools across the district have also been equipped with computers and internet facilities to support technology clubs, while a science laboratory was constructed at Government Secondary School, Fadan Kamantan.

Healthcare interventions include a partnership with Project CURE, a United States-based humanitarian organisation, which facilitated the supply of medical equipment valued at over N8 billion to 10 general hospitals across Southern Kaduna.

Midat further disclosed that the senator launched Project 365, an initiative aimed at eliminating viral hepatitis in the zone. He also facilitated the provision of medicines to primary healthcare centres in Jaba Local Government Area, rehabilitated the Fadan Ninzo Rural Hospital and Maternity Centre in Sanga LGA, and commenced construction of a primary healthcare centre in Ghauta community of Jema’a LGA.

To improve access to basic amenities, he said more than 5,000 solar streetlights have been installed across communities in the district, while over 300 hand-pump boreholes have been drilled.

Solar-powered boreholes with mini water treatment plants were also provided to institutions including the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Kafanchan; the Federal School of Statistics, Manchok; and the College of Education, Gidan Waya.

In youth empowerment and job creation, Senator Katung facilitated the employment of more than 100 constituents into the Nigeria Police Force and secured appointments for others in federal agencies, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the National Industrial Court and the National Assembly Service Commission.

More than 1,000 youths and women have benefited from vocational and entrepreneurial training programmes organised in partnership with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF). The programmes covered skills such as poultry farming, welding, tiling and electrical installation, while beneficiaries received start-up tools including sewing machines, deep freezers and generators.

The senator’s agricultural interventions have also seen the distribution of over 10,000 bags of fertiliser to farmers, with priority given to widows, orphans, persons living with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. Farmers were equally trained in modern ginger-processing techniques to improve productivity and income.

On education, Midat said Senator Katung has facilitated scholarship opportunities for more than 11,000 tertiary students, including 174 persons living with disabilities.

He added that the lawmaker sponsored the payment of SSCE and JAMB fees for more than 20,000 students across 174 public schools and facilitated free JAMB and NECO registration for over 7,000 candidates.

For victims of insecurity and internally displaced persons, the senator has provided relief materials, mattresses, mosquito nets and medical support, including the payment of hospital bills for vulnerable constituents.

He also launched a N100 million Welfare Intervention Scheme and facilitated the inclusion of over 3,000 constituents in the Federal Government’s Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme.

Commenting on his stewardship, Midat said Senator Katung believes legislative performance should be assessed by its impact on citizens rather than by the number of bills and motions sponsored.

“True legislative impact is not measured only by the number of motions moved, but by the number of lives touched. My mandate is simple: to bring the resources and institutions of government closer to the people of Southern Kaduna,” he quoted the senator as saying.

Observers say the lawmaker’s interventions in education, healthcare, infrastructure, youth empowerment and social welfare have continued to shape development efforts in Kaduna South Senatorial District three years into the life of the 10th National Assembly.