By Correspondent.
The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has described the newly introduced ward-based economic stimulus programme as a reflection of the typical fresh ideas that President Bola Tinubu keeps injecting into governance at the federal level.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Emeka Nwankpa and Secretary Dapo Okubanjo, the group said the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme (RHWDP) is a creative way of directly reaching the grassroots without breaching key principles of inter- governmental responsibility.
”Coming at a time that many Nigerian are concerned that improved federal allocations to states and local governments are not having the desired impact at the grassroots, it is a thing of joy that the federal government is thinking out of the box in order to ensure that all parts of the country are carried along.
”This, for us, is the simplest way of explaining what the federal government is set to do with the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme (RHWDP) which is targeted at ensuring direct engagement with the country’s 8,809 administrative wards across all 36 states.
”Judging from what President Tinubu said at his engagement with state governors on the issue, the federal government is keen on stimulating economic activities at the grassroots through a ward-based development strategy.
”We note that the government plan will involve supporting economic activities for a minimum of 1,000 economically active individuals in smaller wards and 2,000 for larger ones under a collaborative arrangement between federal, state, and local governments.
”We see it as a creative effort to generate employment, reduce poverty, enhance food security, and even enhance social protection in all the wards through a minimum of 8.8 million people.
”While it may look like 8 million is a small number in a country with a population of over 200 million, we chose to see it as a strategy that will ensure direct federal presence that will have an indirect effect in addressing local needs.
”We are aware that the programme is to be funded with increased revenues accruing to the Federation Account, as well as other programmes that the federal government and states are undertaking.
“And although a National Steering Committee comprising representatives of all six geopolitical zones is expected to oversee the implementation, we are convinced that by the time the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme takes off, it will go along way to drilling down development to Nigerians at the lowest levels of government.”
TMSG added that the ward-based development programme will go a long way to empowering local communities and creating jobs directly and indirectly within local economies.
