The Nation Newspaper

Category: Abuja Review

  • Whither Nigeria’s presidential park

    The creation of gardens or recreational parks around the official residence and office buildings of presidents or prime ministers of most countries is fast becoming a common trend across the globe.

    Most of these parks are not only accessible by the ordinary citizens of the country, but foreigners duly cleared are also allowed on tourist visit to such parks.

    But the park at the Presidential Villa Abuja has been on the drawing board for a long time.

    It is not clear whether it has been abandoned due to lack of funds or not developed in order to keep unwanted visitors away due to the rising insecurity in the country.

    A white sign post standing by the undeveloped park adjacent the main gate to the Presidential Villa, Abuja reads ‘Park Development: Work-in-progress: FCT Parks and Recreation Department.’

    The Nigeria system of government is taylored after that of the United States of America (US). But the US, who has suffered more from terrorism has park land and gardens by the White House.

    The President’s Park surrounding the White House offers visitors, district residents, and even the President of the United States restorative green space, awe-inspiring memorials.

    A regular local or first time visitor to the President’s Park has opportunity to participate in numerous activities and special events in the park.

    The visitor can stop by the White House Visitor Center for maps and brochures or take a stroll through the park to enjoy the atmosphere.

    He or she can also pause for a moment and have his or her picture taken in front of the White House.

    While the grounds of the President’s Park are opened year-round, certain park areas may be closed at times on a temporary basis at the request of the US Secret Service to ensure necessary security and safety for the adjacent White House complex, its occupants, and the public.

    The Park also offers students and educators a number of opportunities to explore the political and cultural history of the United States of America. As a home, an office, and a showplace for American craftsmanship, the White House mirrors and magnifies broad social trends.

    It is also a popular location for individuals and causes to petition the government, a hallmark of the American democratic experiment.

    No entrance fees is charged any individuals or groups in order to access the President’s Park or the White House Visitor Center. But such request for access must be submitted through the visitor’s Member of Congress (as a citizen) or embassy (if a foreigner) within three weeks to six months in advance of the desired tour date.

    Each member of Congress has already established procedures by which to accept tour reservation requests.

    Before gaining entrance, all citizen visitors who are 18 years and above will be required to present a valid, government-issued photo identification while all foreign nationals must present their passports.

    Those without proper identification will not be allowed to go on the tour, while the forms of photo identification that are acceptable for presentation to Secret Service upon entry to the White House complex include valid government-issued United States identification card like drivers license, military ID and valid United States or other official government-issued passports.

    Photocopies and expired identification cards are not acceptable on such tour. Such a visitor is not also allowed to carry items including handbags, book bags, backpacks, purses, food and beverages of any kind, strollers, cameras, video recorders or any type of recording device.

    He or she will also not be allowed to carry tobacco products, personal grooming items (make-up, hair brush or comb, lip or hand lotions, etc.), any pointed objects (pens, knitting needles, etc.), aerosol containers, guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, mace, martial arts weapons/devices, or knives of any size.

    But items like umbrellas, wallets, cell phones and car keys are permitted.

    All necessary medications belonging to the visitor must also be identified and screened by the Secret Service before the visitor can go in with them.

    The executive office and official residence of the President of the Republic of Korea, known as the Blue House has similar presidential park in Seoul.

    The Malacañang Palace, which is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines, is not a different story.

    Malacañang Park, directly across the river from Malacañang Palace, boasts of a Recreation Hall, a small golf course and the guesthouse Bahay Pangarap.

    The Official Residence for the President of the Republic of South Africa in Pretoria, called Mahlamba Ndlopfu is surrounded by beautiful garden that have been declared as a national Heritage site.

    It will be a good thing if Nigeria can toe the line these nations have followed.

    The present insecurity situations in some part of the country and even the past bomb attacks at the Police Force Headquarters and the United Nations House in Abuja should not deter Nigeria from following the trend.

    All that needs to be done is to put in place proper security measures and do all the preliminary screening and checks before such visitors gain entrance.

     

  • Council chief’s wife donates to the poor

    The wife of the Chairman of Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mrs. Hannatu Shaban, has donated wrappers, food items and cash to orphans, widows and aged women in the council.

    While distributing the items, Shaban said the gesture was part of her efforts to alleviate the suffering of the less-privileged in the council, even as she noted that there are people in the council who cannot feed or fend for themselves who need assistance from government.

    She assured that the council will carry people along, adding that the well-being of orphans and other less-privileged individuals would be given a priority.

    “The essence of this gathering today is to show the less-privileged ones love and affection and to let them know that they are very relevant to the society. We are aware that these categories of people are often forgotten during celebrations and festive periods. That is the reason we need to show them love and affection.

    “I consider them as a very important segment of the society, a conviction that motivated me to encourage them. I urge other privileged Nigerians to consider the less-privileged in the society by rendering assistance to them,” she said.

    Mrs Shaban further said skill acquisition programmes would be introduced for women in all wards in the area to make them productive and useful to themselves and the society. She called on private individuals, corporate organisations and civil societies to show love and care to the less-privileged people.

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Shekwolo Shetu, from Kwakwu Ward in Kuje, expressed gratitude to the wife of council chairman for the gesture, promising to invest the money given her in a small-scale business.

    She also urged the authority of the council to build a befitting market to enable women to sell their goods, which she said would improve the economic situation of the council.

  • Communities urged to set up vigilance groups

    Following attack on residents of Kujekwa community in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by some suspected gunmen which claimed one life and 50 cows stolen, the chairman of the council, Mr. Shaban Tete, has advised people of the area and neighbouring communities to set up vigilance groups to forestall future occurrence.

    Tete, who stated this during a media interaction with newsmen, said it had become necessary for people in the community to come together and set up a vigilance group in order to checkmate activities of criminals. This, he said, is because the police alone cannot fight crime.

    According to the council chief, though there are special security agents trained to tackle crimes, members of communities should see security as a collective responsibility which should not be left in the hands of the government alone.

    He said forming a vigilance group among the people of the community and other communities will, no doubt, go a long way in checkmating cases of stealing and the Fulani clashes in the area.

    “The leadership of the council is seriously worried over the recent attack on my people at Kujekwa village where gunmen invaded the village with sophisticated weapons and killed one person while over 50 cows were stolen. I think the other alternative to put an end to such occurrence is for the village head and elders to come together to see how the people can form vigilance group in the community, so that we can see how we will support them,” he said.

    He urged residents to expedite action on the setting up of vigilance group so that the council would see how best to assist the group with equipment and monthly stipend that can motivate them in the discharge of their duties to the community.

    He revealed that the council’s leadership has written a letter to the Commissioner of Police of the FCT, Mr. Femi Ogunbayode, on the need to establish a police post at the community to stand as primary option in checkmating criminal activities in the area, which he said an approval has already been given to the deployment of policemen in the area.

    Recall that, on December 30, last year, some suspected gunmen numbering about 20 with AK 47 rifles invaded Kujekwa community in Kuje, killed one person, burgled some shops and stole 50 cows from the community.

  • Community pleads for amenities

    Unsettled by the continued lack of basic amenities in the community, the residents of Tokulo in Bwari Area Council have called on the council’s administration and the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to provide essential amenities for the community.

    Some residents who spoke to our correspondent on the issue lamented that the community is still living in darkness as they were yet to experience the pleasure of electricity in the area for a very long period.

    One of the residents, Mamuud Idir said it was unfortunate that the residents cannot predict when light would be available in their community; an amenity most communities have been enjoying for years.

    “As I am talking to you now, I don’t know when we will be able to enjoy light.  There are no poles, no electricity cables and no transformers. For me, it would be a miracle if this community is provided with electricity. I wonder why we should continue to say that we are in the FCT when we do not have light,” he said.

    Mohammed Dogo who owns a shop at the area stated that “availability of electricity brings about economic development in any community, even as he added that lack of it has made the community to be stagnant.

    “Wherever there is electricity, there is development. I own a shop here but because of lack of electricity, there is no maximal improvement in my business. My drinks are hardly cold. Things I would have loved to preserve in the fridge are always spoilt.

    “We have a makeshift place where we go to charge our phones. The owner puts on his electricity generating set and collects N50 from us to charge our phones.  It is rather unfortunate. We hope that something will be done for our community this year.”

    Another resident, John Igo said the community lacks good roads that could link it to neighbouring communities, adding that lack of potable water is another serious issue members of the community are suffering from, as they depend on the local stream for their water supply.

    “I am calling on the area council to help us. I hope this year will be a good one for us and our forgotten town,” he said.

  • ‘We want development commission’

    Inhabitants of Abuja, under the aegis of Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA) have urged the Federal Government to create a development commission aimed at taking care of the needs of members of indigenous communities in Abuja who were displaced as a result of development of Abuja as the nation’s capital.

    The association noted that the commission should be fashioned after the likes of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) or the Hydro-Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC).

    The President of OIDA, Pastor Danladi Jeji made the call during the second FCT Heritage Day celebration which held in Gwagwalada.

    He said displaced communities in Abuja have not been compensated for their confiscated lands, even as he said they are finding it difficult to make a living due to loss of their communities, houses and farmlands to government and private developers.

    He said: “The proposed Abuja Original Inhabitants Development Commission (AOIDC) should be statutory and should derive its funding from the 30 per cent of all sales accruing from all lands allocated within the FCT. When established, AOIDC would deal with the lingering issues of relocation, resettlement and compensation for all projects, affected communities and persons.”

    Continuing, he disclosed the association’s plan to sue the Federal Government if it continuous to confiscate their lands without regard for their rights.

    Presenting a paper entitled “Annihilation of Abuja Original Inhabitants and Imperatives of Democratisation of the Federal Capital Territory,” the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences Nasarawa State University and Guest Speaker at the occasion, Prof. Andrew Zamani urged the Federal Government to appreciate the need for an all-inclusive policy to tackle the problems of the indigenous people of the FCT.

    Prof. Zamani said: “There are no special privileges for the inhabitants in this regard as is the case for the people of Niger Delta through the Niger Delta Development Commission. Original inhabitants of Abuja need structures for self-governance. The second-tier will provide the basis for a local government system that is people-oriented. More senatorial seats and federal constituencies should be created to increase representation in the National Assembly.

    “Our resilience, however, should not be misjudged for weakness or indolence. Government should pay attention to the entreaties of OIDA for attention and dialogue, given that it has utilised legal means of contributing to national discourse and engagement with government and non-state actors of governance. A lot can be achieved through dialogue.”

    The event which acted as showcase for the rich cultural heritage of the nine indigenous ethnic groups in the FCT had had cultural troupes and masquerades from different ethnic groups that thrilled spectators to colourful display, dances, fireworks and durbar.

    The association also used the occasion to launch N200 million education endowment funds which aims at paying the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO) fees for 1,000 Abuja indigenous senior secondary school students.

    The funds, according to the association, would assist several communities that still lack schools or access to proper education. They decried a situation in which only a few lucky ones have access to basic education, adding that many peasant families hardly cope with the responsibility of sending their children or wards to secondary schools in Abuja city centre that are very far away from their communities.

    The association pleaded with the Minister of the FCT Senator Bala Mohammed to make basic and secondary education in the satellite towns and rural communities accessible to the inhabitants so as to reduce the huge gap in terms of quality education by the FCT natives.

     

  • ‘Demolition has ruined us’

    ‘Demolition has ruined us’

    There was confusion among traders in Dutse Market in Bwari Area Council as a result of demolition of the market by the council’s administration.

    Our correspondent gathered that the traders were seen scrambling to rescue their goods even as the bulldozer tore down their shops. People who came to the market to buy things had to go home without buying half of the things they had wanted to buy.

    “You know today is the usual day when many people come to the market to sell their wares. So, with the confusion, some people do not know where to get what they wanted.  I would have expected the demolition to come on a day that is not as busy as today,’’ Ngozi Okeke, one of the people who had come to buy things in the market, said.

    Some traders who spoke with our reporter stated that the council’s idea to modernise the market and bring it to the contemporary standard was a good one, though they lamented that the time given to them to vacate the market was very short for them to afford the money for the shops.

    One of the traders, Mrs. Dorcas Kanayo stated that the new market is commendable, but added that considering the amount for the acquisition of the shops which ranges from N1.5m to N2.5m , the time was too close for them to get the money.

    “I am happy that Dutse Alhaji is going to have a befitting standard market where traders and buyers would feel comfortable to operate. But our concern is that the council should have also considered the traders who would move to the new shops, by giving us enough time to look for the money. They should stop the demolition so that we can run around to gather the money for the shops.

    “For me, I do not have enough money now to acquire one of the new shops when completed, but if we are given up to March, I believe most of us that truly desire to trade in the market will be able to get the required amount,” she said.

    Another trader, Emmanuel Augustine whose shop was among those demolished in November last year, said t since the demolition of his shop, he has been selling outside the market so that he could make enough money to acquire the new shop when completed. He expressed his worry over how he would survive now that the market was being demolished.

    “Since my shop was demolished in November last year, I have been doing my best to make enough money to enable me to afford the new shop in the market that is being constructed. But the truth is that it has been very difficult. I want to appeal to the leadership of the council to consider the plight of the traders by making the process of getting a shop less cumbersome and stopping the demolition.

    “This is where we get our livelihood and many people depend on us. They should assist us by making the processes easy, so that at the end, everybody will be happy and ready to support the government of the council led by Mr. Peter Yohanna,” he said.

  • Student jailed for stealing

    A grade 1 Area Court in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has sentenced a 22-year-old student Bala Koze to five months imprisonment for stealing a motorcycle.

    The accused, who resides at Kwakwu Village in Kuje, was arraigned before the court after the owner of the motorcycle reported the incident to the police.

    The prosecutor, Sergeant Niyom Ishaya, told the court that the matter was reported at the Kuje Police Station on January 17 by one Mr. Festus Tobi, a businessman residing at Kuchiyakwo Village in Kuje.

    He said on Jan. 17, at about noon, Tobi left his motorcycle at the gate of his house when he came home for lunch.

    “Koze went to the complainant’s house pretending to be a visitor who was looking for a particular address. When he was leaving the house, he stole the motorcycle parked in the premises.

    “When the accused was trying to escape with the stolen motorcycle, he had an accident and broke his arm and a severe cut on the head.

    “The motorcycle was damaged and was repaired with the sum of N 26, 700. Tobi also took Koze to the Kuje General Hospital and treated him with the sum of N2, 000,” he said.

    The prosecutor also said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 342, 326 and 286 of the Penal Code.

    The accused, Bala Koze, pleaded guilty to the charges leveled against him.

    The presiding Judge, Mr. Nuhu Ibrahim, sentenced the accused to five months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to a three-count charge of criminal trespass, mischief and theft.

    He, however, gave the convict an option to pay N15, 000 fine and N20, 000 paid to the complainant or to remain in Kuje Prison for the five months.

     

  • Council to construct feeder roads

    Council to construct feeder roads

    The chairman of Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Hon. Shaban Tete has said that due to non-availability of access roads in Kuje rural communities, the council’s budget for this year will have 50 per cent concentration on the provision of feeder roads.

    This, he said, would afford the people the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of democracy.

    Tete, who made this known during the council’s monthly press briefing, said the council’s leadership knows the suffering of the people living in rural communities who cannot access the city centre because of lack of motorable roads. This may have informed his administration’s decision to concentrate on provision of access roads for the communities this year.

    According to the council boss, the mandate given to him by the people needs to be reciprocated through good and profitable governance, saying that there was need for him to prove to the people that they did not make mistakes for electing him.

    He promised to do his best to meet the immediate needs of the people by providing access roads, water and electricity which are necessities of life.

    His words: “I know what Kuje people, including those in my village, are going through in terms of access roads. My people are suffering because of lack of access roads. When we are preparing our council’s budget for this year, 50per cent of the budget was earmarked for provision of feeder roads.

    For example, from Kigbe to Kwaku community, it is not an issue of culvert; the entire road is bad and needs to be graded to make it accessible.

    “I want to grade from Kigbe to Takwa community, because the road has serious problem, a situation that has caused the people not to move around. After I finish grading, the people can freely move from one place to the other.

    Mind you, after grading the roads, there is need for asphalt and culvert. But if my administration expires before the roads are completed, the people will know that I was able to open the roads for them and somebody else will complete the project.

    “The most important thing is for us to start constructing the feeder roads in rural communities, because these people are suffering due to lack of roads. So, I am going to do my best in constructing feeder roads, just to alleviate the suffering of the people.

    “I have also awarded contract for the provision of water for the people. I am expecting the drilling machine. Very soon, about 300 communities in Kuje will have access to potable water.”

  • Forum seeks development of rural communities

    The Chairman of South West Peoples’ Forum in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Hon. Femi Sanusi has called on political office holders to evolve policies and programmes that would positively affect lives of the people, especially those in the rural communities this year.

    Sanusi stated this at a press conference in Abuja.

    He commended the chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Hon. Micah Jiba for his ceaseless efforts in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people at the rural areas. His commitment to people’s welfare, he said, had earned him the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Golden Award of Excellence.

    According to Sanusi, the people at the grassroots deserved better living condition, saying if most political office holders can reach out to the people at the grassroots, Nigeria will be a better place for everybody to live in.

    “Most people at the grassroots have been neglected by subsequent administrations, so much so that they are losing confidence in elected public officers. I believe that if council chairmen could affect the lives of people in their council areas as Hon. Micah Jiba is doing, people at the grassroots will have faith in government.

    “Also, if elected political office holders in the FCT could affect the lives of people at the grassroots like Senator Phillip Aduda who has also remains committed to the well-being of people at the grassroots, Abuja would be the best place for those who are indigenous and non-indigenous to it to stay.

    “I would like to appeal to political office holders to emulate Hon. Micah Jiba and Senator Phillip Aduda by making dividends of democracy accessible to them this year. This is because that is what people at the grassroots expect from their leaders,” he said.

  • Residents protest frequent road accidents

    Residents of Dutse Baupuma and Makaranta communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have cried out over continuous accidents on the Dutse-Bwari expressway, noting that between December last year and January 15, this year, over 10 people have been killed at Dutse Bokuma Junction, a spot they have tagged death zone.

    Angered by the latest accident which occurred penultimate week when a popular businesswoman, Mrs. Lamidi Maimunat, alongside two others, were killed by a trailer, residents numbering over 200 stormed the highway in protest of what they termed government’s negligence of the area.

    The residents, who insisted that government should put in place measures to reduce frequent road accidents in the area, barricaded the road. This led to a heavy gridlock as vehicles on the Bwari Road were forced to either turn back or remain in the holdup that lasted for hours.

    An eye witness said: “A trailer coming from Bwari axis developed faulty break and swerved to the other side of the road. In the process, it killed Mrs. Lamidi and two others. Mrs. Lamidi was killed while on a bike that was to take her to Dutse Alhaji.

    “The trailer killed both the motorcycle operator and Mrs. Lamidi. The painful aspect of the accident is the manner in which the woman was killed. The heavy vehicle dragged her along for few kilometres before it finally stopped.

    “When some policemen arrived, they did not approach the matter in a civil manner. They just started spraying teargas at the protesters. One would have expected them to discuss the matter with them, instead of attacking them.”

    Speaking with the daughter of the diseased, Miss Nana Lamidi, she said she was short of words, adding that she could not believe that her mother was dead. She also said that her mother left them few minutes before they got the news of her death.

    “You can see that our house is not far from the road. So, you can imagine the distance. My mother cannot be replaced, as she was our backbone. How will I further my education now? How will my brothers and the rest of us further our education now that mum is gone?” she lamented.

    She appealed to government to assist her and her younger ones who currently have nobody to take care of them, saying “our mother was the breadwinner of the family. Now that she is gone, we have nobody.”