Gurdi residents appeal for bridge, lament bad road

Residents of Gurdi Community in Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have appealed to the council to construct a bridge across the stream in the area. Some residents who spoke with our reporter on Saturday said a box culvert which was constructed by the council across the stream some few months ago […]

Residents of Gurdi Community in Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have appealed to the council to construct a bridge across the stream in the area.

Some residents who spoke with our reporter on Saturday said a box culvert which was constructed by the council across the stream some few months ago was too narrow for the stream.

They said whenever it rained heavily the culvert was over-flooded, thereby making it difficult to cross to either side, adding that construction of a triple box culvert would be the only solution.

A resident noted that since the collapse of the triple cell box culvert the community during rainy season mobilised money to construct wooden bridge across the stream to enable farmers convey their crops to the market in Abaji.

A farmer, Yakubu Bala, said he and some youths brought down big stones from the hill to fill both edges of the culvert during a recent heavy down pour.

He said, “A man who was coming with his motorcycle tried to maneuver his way not knowing that the stream was deep, he got stocked in the middle,” he said.

The District Head of Gurdi, Bala Mohammed, said the stream deserved a standard bridge across it.

“Although one must still be fair to the present administration under the leadership of Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya, who recently intervened by constructing a single cell box culvert across the stream, but the culvert is now being threatened by flood as its edges have been washed away.

He also expressed concern over the bad state of the road linking the community with Manjelu and Gulida, saying residents always found it difficult, especially motorists, to ply the road, except with motorcycles.

He said the road was the only alternative road that connected residents from neighbouring villages such as Madani, Lafiya- Yaba, Manjelu, Dogon-Ruwa, Tekpese, among others.

Mohammed also decried lack drugs and equipment at the community health center, saying patients always sent their family members to Yaba to buy drugs whenever they were prescribed by a “lone” health attendant attached to the health centre in the village.

He appealed to the council’s authorities to come to the aid of his people by providing drugs and equipment at the health centre.

“The other major challenge we are faced with is the electrification project which was abandoned half way by the past administration. I want to appeal to the present government to come to our aid in completing the work,” he said.

He further complained about lack of pipe borne water, saying his people had over two years been drinking water from the River Gurara after all the boreholes in the community broke down.

“We have nine boreholes, but as I speak, none of them is functional. Our women now go to the river, which is not hygienic, but we have no option,” he said.

“The dry season will soon set in, even the river will dry up, so we want government to help us fix some of the boreholes,” he appealed.

Reacting, the council chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya, said he would invite the head of works to get more details about the newly constructed culvert across the stream.

He said the council was making arrangement to inspect some projects in other communities too.

“We have also received  complaints about some broken down boreholes at the community and we will soon award contract for rehabilitation of the boreholes, “ he said.