By Felicia Imohimi

Tungan Ashere Community in the FCT has called for urgent government intervention through the provision of health facilities, electricity, schools, and access roads to alleviate the sufferings of residents.

The community made the appeal when the Board of Directors of ActionAid Nigeria paid an inspection visit to the area in Abuja.

It was part of its commitment to amplifying citizens voices and promoting responsive, people-centred governance.

The Village Head, Mr Sani Yakubu, lamented that several lives, especially those of pregnant women, had been lost due to the absence of healthcare services in the community.

“I almost lost my wife last week Monday due to ill health. Her condition was critical before I got to Zuba, which is the closest health facility to our village. This is made worse by the poor state of the access road,” he said.

Yakubu noted that many women in the community resort to the use of herbs and traditional birth attendants due to the unavailability of qualified medical personnel.

He also described the education infrastructure in the community as inadequate, saying the existing block of three classrooms was shared by pupils from Primary 1 to 6.

“Primary 1 and 2 share a classroom, 3 and 4 share one, and so do 5 and 6. When one set is receiving lessons, the other has to wait to avoid disruption,” he said.

Yakubu commended ActionAid for empowering women through agricultural support and for providing a solar-powered ICT centre to boost youth and children’s digital learning.

He said the ICT centre, established with support from the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), had become a training hub for neighbouring communities.

“It is through ActionAid’s intervention that we learnt how to engage and hold government and the area council accountable. This led to the establishment of the classroom block,” he said.

Also speaking, Mrs Hafsat Saidu, Assistant Women Leader of Shekwodiza Women Cooperative, appealed for the expansion of the school to accommodate secondary education.

She called on the government to complete the abandoned electricity and road projects in the area, adding that such interventions would ease access to markets and reduce post-harvest losses among women farmers.

Earlier, ActionAid Nigeria’s Deputy Country Director, Mrs Suwaiba Dankabo, said the organisation’s support for Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and skills training had improved women’s income and decision-making power.

“These platforms have enhanced women’s access to credit, boosted their confidence, and enabled them to start and manage small businesses,” she said.

Dankabo said ActionAid began work in the community in 2002 in partnership with the Society for Community Development (SCD).

She said that in 2017, the organisation adopted the Participatory Review and Reflection Process (PRRP) to reveal barriers children and youths faced in accessing the internet for learning.

She said this gave rise to the Breaking Digital Barriers initiative, which led to the establishment of the ICT centre.

“In 2018, two blocks of classrooms were built following community-led advocacy to the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) and social media engagement by the traditional leader after a digital rights training.

“This intervention reduced the number of out-of-school children by 80 per cent and led to a 90 per cent increase in girl-child enrolment,” she added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Tosin Kolade

By Veronica Dariya

Some residents of Bwari Area Council of the FCT have lauded the recent rehabilitation and upgrading of roads in the council area by the FCT administration.

The residents, who spoke in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Abuja, on Tuesday, described the development as a timely intervention in the community.

NAN reports that President Bola Tinubu, had on July 2, inaugurated the dualisation and upgrading of the Ushafa to War College/Army Checkpoint roads and other ancillary roads in Bwari.

Residents in the area, while applauding the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesome Wike, for upgrading the roads, described the development as a corridor of opportunity for economic activities in the area.

Mr Amos Sheyilo, one of the residents, noted the previously poor condition of the road, and said that it was a development long overdue but timely, adding that this had put the area in the territory’s limelight.

He said that the effort would improve and uplift the overall livelihood of the people in the area.

Sheyilo also applauded the FCT minister for not confining development to only the city centres but extending growth to the suburbs and communities in the territory.

He, however, urged the government not to relent in ensuring that the people also benefited from similar interventions in other sectors of the economy that would affect their livelihood.

Similarly, Mr Japhet Isaiah, a resident, said that the development would improve the quality of life of the people in the area, noting that it would provide easier transportation, smoother rides and reduced vehicle damages.

According to him, now we will have better access to the markets, schools, hospitals and workplaces and I am sure that this access will also boost our local economy.

“You know Bwari is an entry point from neighbouring northern states, and so, the route is always busy with commuters and it is expected that it will showcase the beauty of the territory from this point through the city.

“Now, traders, transport operators and other local businesses will benefit and experience increased activity and reduced delivery time for production.”

Isaiah, while still commending the government’s effort, also said that the development may bring about increase in the value for land and properties as well as give a sense of inclusion to the community.

He further urged the government to improve on the provision of potable water and other basic amenities in the council area.

Another resident, Madam Rose Bature, said that the upgrading of the road was worth commending.

According to her, the roads have been abandoned for too long and looked like it may never see the `light of a day’.

She noted that the improvement had shown that the pleas of the people had finally reached the ears of the government, while praying that other needs of the community receive speedy attention.

She advised motorists and pedestrians to be cautious while using the roads to avoid accidents. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Deborah Coker

By Veronica Dariya

Some residents of Bwari Area Council of the FCT, have decried their inability to access primary healthcare services, following a three-month strike by the council workers.

The residents, in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), appealed to the FCT administration and the council chairmen to put an end to the lingering action.

NAN reports that the joint unions of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in March, directed its workers across the six area councils to embark on “sit-at-home”.

The action was to demand the implementation of the N70, 000 minimum wage and other entitlements by the area council administrators.

The strike has resulted in the closure of primary healthcare centres and schools, significantly impacting access to essential services.

Mrs Liyatu Adamu, a resident, said that the situation has not only left residents stranded and faced with significant economic difficulties but also hindered them from accessing proper medical assistance.

“My two children have been ill for over two weeks now. Usually, I would have rushed them to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in our area for treatment but with the strike, that is not possible.

“We cannot afford to go to big hospitals or the private ones because we have no money and cannot afford their services; now we are left with Over the Counter (OTC) treatment at pharmacies.

“The OTC is not cheap either,” Adamu said.

She appealed to the FCT and the council administrations to make efforts to settle the workers and prevent the residents from the negative impact of the industrial action.

Similarly, Mr Luka Ango, another resident and civil servant, said the action by the healthcare workers and other public workers in the council had affected the community significantly.

According to him, the disruption of essential health services to residents has a significant impact on the local community and it can lead to a high rate of mortality.

He added that the strike has left many families spending more to access healthcare services in the city centre.

He said: “You can see that getting treatments for common illnesses have become difficult, even maternal and child health services like antenatal care, immunisations and deliveries have been suspended.

“This is not good at all. I know that the workers are fighting for their rights, therefore, governments should do the needful so that our communities do not continue to suffer the negative impacts.”

Another resident, Mrs Ruth Aboyi, a teacher, described the situation as unfortunate and disheartening.

She said that the action has left those suffering from chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension helpless and may worsen their condition if not properly managed.

“Patients with urgent medical needs may not receive timely care, resulting in avoidable deaths or complications.

“It has interrupted medication schedules that can lead to disease outbreaks or worsening conditions. So, they should please, consider all these and resolve the issues,” she said.

Aboyi added that nearby secondary hospitals have become overwhelmed by patients adding that remote communities without alternatives have become vulnerable.

On his part, Mr Emmanuel Ishaku, NULGE Chairman, Bwari, told NAN that no positive resolve had been reached even after several meetings with stakeholders.

He, however, stated that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), FCT Chapter, had taken over the matter and written to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, giving him a seven-day ultimatum to resolve the matter.

He said, if nothing positive comes out within the time range, the union will not hesitate to picket the FCT Minister’s Office as soon as they are directed by its leadership. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Rotimi Ijikanmi