By Jumoke Olaitan
The Karmajiji Disabilities Community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has declared a bloc voting strength of over 500 eligible voters ready to back President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Mrs Rahina Haruna, Women Leader of the community, made the pledge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Haruna said that despite the challenges facing residents of the community, they would offer their full support to Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“The population of physically challenged and the virtually challenged in the community is growing. Right now, if you visit our neighborhood, both our men, women, and students—we have reached about 500 voting people.
“We pray that God elevates Tinubu’s administration even more, so that we can enjoy the fruits of past efforts, and that God makes the future prosperous and blessed for us all,” she said.
The women leader, however, decried the severe daily hardships residents endure due to flooded ditches, open gutters, and a complete lack of motorable access roads connecting their community to the main expressway on the airport road corridor.
“The road that comes from the main road to Karmajiji—if you go there now, you will feel pity for us.
“Even within Karmajiji proper, there are no proper roads. The gutters and ditches we have to navigate present serious difficulties before we can even reach the main road,” she said.
Haruna appealed to the FCT Administration to consider constructing an access road to ease their mobility in and out of the community.
She said that while residents were grateful for past governmental support, current economic pressures, compounded by growing family sizes and rising food prices, have left many struggling to feed their families or send their children to school.
Addressing healthcare challenges, Haruna revealed that the community’s primary health center lacks the capacity for major emergencies, such as blood transfusions or critical labour complications.
“Furthermore, community members frequently face discrimination and social stigma when seeking medical attention at general health facilities within Abuja’s city centre.
“When we go to use facilities within the city centre, they treat us as if we are not human beings. The places where we can receive proper, non-discriminatory care are in far away Gwarinpa or Gwagwalada.
“We are calling on the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu to facilitate the expansion of our clinic so that we can be treated like normal human beings,” she said.
Haruna also appealed to the first lady to facilitate the completion of the Senior Secondary School project in the community.
“While the project’s commencement initially brought hope of a possible functional access roads to the neighborhood, construction has since ground to a halt.
“We are calling on the first lady to help complete the school project so that our children do not have to travel far,” she said. (NAN)
Edited by Philip Yatai
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