Abuja communities execute drainage, electricity projects

Community associations in satellite towns of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who have continuously suffered neglect from government, especially in terms of amenities, have resorted to executing self-help projects to improve their living conditions. The associations have made their impact felt in suburbs like Karu, Nyanya, Jikwoyi and Kurudu where they have constructed drains to […]

Community associations in satellite towns of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who have continuously suffered neglect from government, especially in terms of amenities, have resorted to executing self-help projects to improve their living conditions.

The associations have made their impact felt in suburbs like Karu, Nyanya, Jikwoyi and Kurudu where they have constructed drains to control flooding which has been a perennial problem in most of the area .

Some of the communities have bought transformers and electricity poles, while others have sank boreholes to provide water to residents who have over the years cried out to government.

The Hausa Forum in Jikwoyi has constructed a drainage at the cost of N3.4m at Anguwan Hausawa (Hausa Ward).

The Chairman of the forum, Musa Yunusa, who spoke with our reporter, said the drainage was constructed to avert flooding which had been a recurring problem in the community.

Yunusa said having identified the most pressing need of the people of the ward, the forum solicited funds from members and other residents who voluntarily contributed whatever they had for the execution of the project.

He also said the forum was working with other associations in the community to execute other projects that would benefit residents.

Another community association, Akulodo Jikwoyi Youth Development (AJYD), has bought and installed a transformer.

A member of AJYD, Solomon Samuel, said they were proud of their achievements, and that the developmental initiatives of AJYD would ease the hardship of the people.

Another resident, Sunday Moses, said, “AJYD is doing very well in touching lives, and we encourage them to continue with the good work.”

In Kurudu, the Kurudu Community Association (KCA) is raising money to empower dry season farmers in the area.

The leader of KCA, Mohammadu Mande Dange, said, “We have empowered 50 dry season farmers in our community; the major success we have achieved so far.”

In Nyanya, the Chairman of Nyanya Youth Development Association (NYDA), Timothy Dawa, said the association’s focus was uniting the members of the community, aiding the less privileged and maintaining infrastructure.

Dawa said, “Our programmes cover both human and infrastructural development. Even though we tend to focus on helping the less privileged by settling school fees for their children, our association also raises funds to maintain our infrastructure like boreholes and electricity facilities.”

The Karu Youth Progressive Union (KYPU) is the umbrella body under which various problems of the community are tackled in Karu.

One of the members of KYPU, Abdullahi Ahmed, told our reporter that the association had the mandate of helping people with blood donation, medical treatment, food items and paying school fees for children of the less privileged members of the community.

Ahmed said, “The association also uses its money to reconstruct drains, roads and other facilities of utmost need to the people.”

He added that, “I have been attending the meetings of the association because they are doing a good job. We cannot sit and wait for government to do everything for us. We have to show our commitment before government will consider us.”

Despite their effort, the associations have identified lack of government intervention as the major challenge hindering their progress and, therefore, have called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to incorporate them in the development master plan of the city in order to accelerate the level of development in the suburbs.