By Josephine Ella
Occupants of Abuja @30 Villages in Kpeyegi, have bemoan the ill-treatment meted to them by the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), accusing it of negligence.
According to them, the housing project of the FCT administration which consists of 1,000 housing units, only have 530 units completed, out of which about 53 are presently occupied by beneficiaries drawn from low income earners in Abuja, victims of demolition exercise, widows, HIV/AIDS patients and other vulnerable groups.
During a visit of the Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide to the village, the residents lamented that they have been facing untold hardship since November last year when they relocated to the area, saying that the basic social amenities in the village are not functioning.
It was gathered from interaction with some of the occupants that although, some of the facilities such as borehole, clinic, electricity, market, police station, bank among other, have been provided, they are not functioning.
A retired nurse, Naomi Tukura, while enumerating these challenges, urged the minister to, as a matter of urgency direct her staff to open up the facilities in the area.
Tukuru further lamented the absence of market in the village as she said that they have to spend between N400-N450 for transportation on motorcycle to Kuje market to buy food and other items.
”I want to on behalf of the women here thank you for giving us this affordable homes, but we do not have water and light no light. The worst of it is that we do not have market to transact business. We are grateful but please direct the officers of the FCT to open up the market so that we can do business and live a better life here”, she pleaded with the minister.
Another resident, Chinyere Nwogu, who moved in November, said getting water for domestic use has been very difficult.
According to her, they have had to trek long distance to fetch water from a pond which is not even hygienic for domestic use.
Responding to their plea, the minister assured them that the administration would ensure that the community becomes vibrant and self sustaining by activating the facilities that they have identified to be dormant.
Olajumoke, explained that all the facilities have been put in place, but due to lack of security and personnel to man them, they were shut down to ensure that they are safe.
She however assured them that now that they have occupied their allocations, a committee has been set up to look into the village to make it become a vibrant community.
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