THE Convener of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group, Comrade Bamidele Atoyebi, has urged state governors and local government chairmen to develop complementary programmes to extend the impact of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to more communities.
Atoyebi, who made the call in a statement titled “Progressive Governors, LG Chairmen Should Complement First Lady’s Drive”, said state and local governments must take greater responsibility for translating federal interventions into tangible benefits for residents at the ward and community levels.
He said the RHI, launched in 2023 by the First Lady, had implemented programmes covering agriculture, economic empowerment, social investment, healthcare and education, including grants, agricultural inputs and support for women, persons with disabilities and elderly Nigerians.
Atoyebi specifically cited the RHI-Tony Elumelu Foundation women empowerment programme, which targeted 18,500 women across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with each beneficiary receiving N50,000 to recapitalise an existing business.
He said the scale of the programme demonstrated the value of federal interventions while creating an opportunity for state and local governments to establish additional support schemes within their jurisdictions.
“If women receive N50,000 to restart a business, what stops a state or local government from creating an additional business-support scheme?” he asked.
According to him, state and local governments could also complement federal agricultural interventions by providing farmers with equipment, access roads, storage facilities and additional grants.
He cited Imo State as an example, saying the state increased the number of women benefiting from the empowerment programme from the 500 originally allocated to each state to 2,500, alongside additional assistance.
Atoyebi also cited the renovated Alternative High School for Girls in Agboju, Lagos, commissioned in August 2026, as an example of how state-level interventions could complement broader government programmes.
He urged governors and local government chairmen to develop interventions based on the peculiar needs of their communities rather than wait for federal programmes.
“A governor does not need to wait for Abuja before renovating a primary healthcare centre, equipping a rural school, providing learning materials or supporting children from poor households,” he stated.
Atoyebi called for stronger local interventions in healthcare, education, roads, water, electricity and economic empowerment, particularly for women traders, farmers, artisans and young entrepreneurs.
He identified the National Community Food Bank as an example of multi-level collaboration, noting that the programme brought together federal institutions, private foundations and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
According to him, the First Lady contributed N500 million to the programme, while the NGF pledged N17 billion as part of its announced funding structure.
Atoyebi urged governors to build on federal interventions and local government chairmen to identify specific community needs and develop measurable programmes to address them.
