The Convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG), Bamidele Atoyebi, has praised President Bola Tinubu's approval of a N17 billion grassroots development fund for 8,804 wards across Nigeria. He described it as a significant move toward inclusive community-based governance.
Alignment with Advocacy Efforts
Atoyebi stated that the fund aligns with proposals earlier put forward by the group to address pressing needs in underserved communities through direct, ward-level development initiatives. In a statement released on Friday, he highlighted that the fund would provide solutions in key areas such as potable water, healthcare services, rural road infrastructure, and economic support for small-scale farmers and market women.
A Bottom-Up Development Model
According to Atoyebi, the initiative reflects a development model that prioritizes the specific needs of local communities rather than imposing uniform projects from the central government. He noted that the group has consistently advocated for a bottom-up approach, where residents identify their most urgent challenges and the government channels resources to meet those needs.
Atoyebi likened the strategy to renovating a building section by section, explaining that gradual but targeted interventions would ensure that even remote communities feel the impact of governance. He further stated that BAT-IG has been mobilizing support for similar programs through advocacy engagements and policy discussions across the country.
Community Engagement and Success Stories
He cited recent sensitization forums involving security personnel and community stakeholders, where participants were encouraged to serve as facilitators for developmental projects in their localities. The BAT-IG convener also pointed to what he described as modest successes in some communities, where members of the group helped connect residents with small-scale intervention opportunities.
Call for Accountability and Increased Funding
Atoyebi commended President Tinubu for what he termed responsive leadership, saying the approval of the fund demonstrates a willingness to listen to citizens and decentralize development. Despite welcoming the initiative, he called for strong accountability measures to ensure transparency in the utilization of the funds. He also appealed to the Federal Government to consider increasing the allocation, arguing that the current amount may be inadequate when spread across thousands of wards nationwide. According to him, sustained monitoring and additional funding would be necessary to maximize the program's long-term impact.
The BAT Ideological Group said it would continue encouraging its members across the federation to identify community challenges and link residents with available government intervention programs.
