The Convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG), Bamidele Atoyebi, has described President Bola Tinubu’s approval of a N17 billion grassroots development fund for 8,804 wards across the country as a major step toward inclusive community-based governance.

Atoyebi said the intervention aligns with proposals earlier canvassed by the group to address pressing needs in underserved communities through direct, ward-level development initiatives.

In a statement on Friday, he noted that the fund would help provide solutions in areas such as potable water, healthcare services, rural road infrastructure, and economic support for small-scale farmers and market women.

According to him, the initiative reflects a development model that prioritises the specific needs of local communities rather than imposing uniform projects from the centre.

He said the group had consistently advocated a bottom-up approach in which residents identify their most urgent challenges while 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 had already been mobilising support for similar programmes through advocacy engagements and policy discussions across the country.

He cited recent sensitisation 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.

He commended President Tinubu for what he termed responsive leadership, saying the approval of the fund demonstrates a willingness to listen to citizens and decentralise development.

Despite welcoming the initiative, Atoyebi called for strong accountability measures to ensure transparency in the utilisation 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 maximise the programme’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 programmes.