By Julius Peter, Abuja
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged chairmen of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas to translate the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda into concrete development and improved living conditions for citizens at the grassroots.
The President made the call on Tuesday while addressing participants at a conference of local government chairmen in Abuja, with the theme, “Cascading President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to the Grassroots.”
Represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Tinubu said the success of government policies should ultimately be measured by their impact on communities rather than by announcements made at the federal level.
According to the President, the real test of governance is “not what is announced in Abuja but what changes in wards, villages and communities.”
He therefore urged the council chairmen to see their positions as a direct responsibility to the people and to use the resources and autonomy available to local governments to deliver meaningful services.
Tinubu said Nigeria’s rapidly growing population made it necessary for government to move closer to citizens through stronger and more effective grassroots institutions.
The President challenged the chairmen to prioritise areas capable of producing immediate and measurable improvements in the lives of residents, including food security, healthcare, education, infrastructure, employment and community development.
He also urged the local government leaders to work closely with state and federal authorities in implementing programmes designed to improve livelihoods and expand opportunities across the country.
Tinubu told the council chairmen that history had placed on them the responsibility of transforming their respective local government areas into models of development.
He urged them to ensure that their tenure would be remembered for improvements in the lives of citizens, communities and local institutions.
“Let your tenure be remembered for the lives, communities and systems improved in each of the 774 Local Government Areas,” the President said.
He further asked the participants at the three-day conference to come up with practical recommendations for overcoming challenges confronting local government administration and strengthening Nigeria’s federal system.
The President’s charge comes amid renewed emphasis by the Federal Government on taking development programmes closer to wards and communities.
In July, the administration unveiled additional financing for the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus programme, alongside the Solutions for Internally Displaced and Host Communities Programme and the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity programmes.
The Federal Government said the programmes were designed to support livelihoods, healthcare, education, social protection, community resilience and governance at the grassroots.
The HOPE programmes, in particular, include initiatives focused on primary healthcare, foundational learning and improved governance, while the government said its ward-centric approach was intended to align federal, state and local government efforts around service delivery and economic opportunities.
The administration has also said its Renewed Hope Development Plan is designed to promote a bottom-up approach to economic growth by identifying the resources, talents, challenges and economic opportunities available in individual wards.
The Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Doris Uzoka-Anite, said in June that the Federal Government was undertaking a survey and mapping exercise covering wards nationwide as part of efforts to identify at least one viable economic activity in each ward.
The President’s message also places renewed attention on the role of local governments following the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen financial autonomy and accountability at the third tier of government.
Tinubu has repeatedly called on local government authorities to make effective use of greater autonomy by providing services that directly affect residents.
The emphasis on grassroots delivery also comes against the backdrop of calls for state and local governments to complement federal interventions with programmes specifically targeted at communities and wards.
For the 774 council chairmen, the latest directive places greater emphasis on translating national policies into visible projects and services capable of addressing local needs.
The President’s message was therefore not only a call for implementation but also for greater accountability, responsiveness and measurable results at the local government level.
As the Federal Government continues to pursue its Renewed Hope Agenda, the effectiveness of local government administrations will remain critical to determining how far national reforms and development programmes are felt by Nigerians outside the major urban centres.
The conference is expected to provide a platform for local government leaders to deliberate on practical strategies for improving grassroots governance, strengthening collaboration among the three tiers of government and ensuring that development programmes produce tangible results in communities across the federation.
