NEC Endorses Ward Development Programme, Orders Flood Preparedness Nationwide
President Bola Tinubu has urged state governors to intensify efforts in prioritising the welfare of Nigerians through targeted investments in rural electrification, agricultural mechanisation, poverty reduction, and infrastructure development.
Speaking at the 150th National Economic Council (NEC) meeting held at the State House, Abuja, President Tinubu emphasised the need for collaborative efforts between federal and state governments to stimulate economic growth and improve living standards, particularly in rural communities.
“I want to appeal to you; let us change the story of our people in the rural areas,” the President said. “The economy is working. We are on the path of recovery, but we need to stimulate growth in the rural areas.”
The meeting also featured a presentation by Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, on the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme (RHWDP)—a new grassroots initiative designed to drive double-digit economic growth through direct intervention in Nigeria’s 8,809 administrative wards.
The RHWDP, fully endorsed by the council, is a joint initiative between the federal, state, and local governments, aligned with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which targets a $1 trillion economy by 2030. The programme will be overseen by a National Steering Committee representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning serving as its secretariat.
The programme aims to provide sustainable economic support for at least 1,000 to 2,000 economically active individuals per ward and is grounded in constitutional provisions and the Fifth Alteration Act that mandates food security and improved production systems.
In a move to fast-track the execution of strategic infrastructure projects, President Tinubu also directed the immediate transfer of the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation to the presidency. This, he said, would facilitate seamless execution of legacy projects such as the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry Super Highways.
On disaster preparedness, NEC received a presentation from the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Zubaida Umar, highlighting the country’s 2025 flood readiness and response strategies.
Following the briefing, the council directed all state governments to strengthen their State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), operationalise Local Emergency Management Committees, and prioritise environmental sanitation and urban planning law enforcement.
Key national flood preparedness measures already undertaken include the activation of the Emergency Operations Centre, deployment of search and rescue equipment to high-risk areas, and dissemination of early warning alerts to communities nationwide.
However, NEMA identified ongoing challenges such as inadequate drainage infrastructure, slow data reporting, insecurity in flood-prone zones, weak SEMA functionality, and poor enforcement of building regulations.
To support flood response efforts, the council instructed the Federal Ministry of Finance to release emergency preparedness funds to all 36 states, the FCT, and key federal agencies.
The council called on local governments and communities to take ownership of local mitigation efforts, participate in awareness campaigns, and report early signs of flood risk to authorities.