By Ebi Kesiena
Over 40 percent of illiteracy rates in the Federal Capital Territory have been linked to the communities occupied by Original Inhabitants, OI while 80 percent of remote Primary Health Care’s lack functional health facilities and man-power.
This was made known by HipCity Innovation Centre during the launch of its Project, Promoting the Rights of Original Inhabitants of Abuja “Advocating for access to inclusive basic service delivery for Original Inhabitants in Abuja with a focus on education, Health, WASH and Environment” in Abuja Recently.
According to HipCity, across the 6 Area councils of Abuja, there is lack of electricity, on-grid and off-grid, water and hygiene services, and environmental pollution adding that all of these deprivations have been worsened by the impacts of COVID-19 and the OIs have plunged into multidimensional poverty.
Executive Director, HipCity Innovation Centre, Bassey Bassey explained that as an organisation it has kick started the journey towards the demand for effective and efficient delivery of basic services for the original inhabitants of Abuja whose land has taken over by the Nigerian government and have been pushed into the hinterland of Abuja with little or no regard for their fundamental human rights.
Decrying the rate of neglect, deprivations and marginalization suffered for decades by the OIs communities in Abuja, Bassey insisted that having recognized and identified the challenges across the 6 Area councils of Abuja, HipCity through its project will be advocating for inclusive basic service delivery in OI communities to reduce the already widened inequality suffered by the original inhabitants of the FCT.
He stated that HipCity will demand for the inclusion of OIs in decision making process on issues of service delivery that concerns them.
‘‘In the next two years, HipCity Innovation Centre is committing to build synergy with supply actors, government in co-creating citizen-centred projects that will ultimately impact on the lives of the OIs
‘‘Also, we will serve as a reporting channel to amplify the challenges of OIs across the 17 Chiefdoms to relevant MDAs with the mandate of service delivery. Monitor budget implementation in the area of basic service provision with special attention to basic education, basic health care, WASH and environmental sustainability.
‘‘We will also strengthen communication channels between the government and the Chiefdoms by organizing town hall meetings, radio programs, symposiums, street talk shows etc. This will contribute to creating awareness on government initiatives for the people, create report-back systems for government to engage, respond and act on the demands of the people.
‘‘Beam the light on government responsiveness to the needs and demands of OIs. Advocate for the consideration of PWDs in the design and implementation of projects as these groups suffer the most deprivation. We will work steadfastly to amplify the voices of your people, create platforms for the people to engage with government and also leverage networks to tell the global community of the situation of the original inhabitants of Abuja whose land Nigeria’s capital city resides and yet their identity has been bruised and at the verge of extinction’’ he stated.
The E.D however added that the organisation work is to support government deliver excellently on its responsibility so it will collaborate with relevant government MDAs
Furthermore, there was goodwill messages from the Royal Fathers of the OIs in the 17 Chiefdoms from Abaji to Kwali, Gwagwalada to Kuje, AMAC to Bwari, who thanked HipCity for the innovation as they pledged to work with HipCity.
