In the Alu-Mamagi Ward of the Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, residents of the Chapu and Alu communities have voiced their displeasure with the poor condition of their roads and the absence of bridges.
When our correspondent visited the settlements on Tuesday, those of the locals who talked stated that they had suffered greatly for many years due to the poor roads connecting the nearby communities of Lambata, Alu, Kurege, and Kangpo.
According to Daily Trust, the villages have pleaded with the government to step in by grading the roads and building bridges and culverts, but to no avail.
effects on agriculture and the economy
Yakubu Musa, an Alu native, claimed that farmers in particular frequently had difficulty getting their produce to the Abaji market.
“Despite our efforts to fix parts of the road, drivers charge high rates to convey produce to the Abaji market,” he stated. Drivers take almost all of the money when farm produce prices drastically decline, leaving farmers with almost nothing.
Residents were frequently left trapped during the rainy season when floods rendered streams and rivers impassable, Musa continued.
He continued by saying that social and economic activity was paralyzed because the towns were typically cut off at this time.
He added, “Our women must hike or ride their bikes to the nearby village of Lambata in order to grind maize or guinea corn. No one is allowed to cross the stream until the water level drops on days with a lot of rain.
Lack of water and deficiencies in infrastructure
According to Dangana Abdullahi, a Chapu inhabitant, the locals relied on the Gurara River and Fadama fields, where women frequently had to excavate marshy areas to obtain water.
He pointed out that the community’s sole working hand-pump borehole broke down many years ago.
“Our women trek a long distance to the Gurara River to fetch water, especially during the dry season,” he remarked.
He called on the council’s leaders to step in, pointing out that even though they were peasants, their everyday life had become a nightmare due to the absence of a road system.
Requests for authority
“If the government improves the roads and builds bridges, it will bring relief not only to Mamagi, Alu, and Chapu, but also to people from Lapai,” stated Alhaji Saidu Chado, the village head of Chapu. It is an essential shortcut.
The chief bemoaned the hollow promises made by successive administrations about road, water, and healthcare infrastructure.
“Only during election campaigns do you see government officials or politicians here,” he remarked. After the election is finished, you never hear from them again, despite their promises of heaven and earth.
He urged Alhaji Abubakar Umar Abdullahi, the area council chairman, to work with the FCT Administration (FCTA) to grade the roads, construct a health center, and supply water.
In response, the Chief of Staff told Mohammed Kandi, the chairman of the council, that the council had already included double-cell culvert construction and road grading in the budget for the next year.
“The council chairman, during his campaign to those communities, promised to provide motorized boreholes, and that remains a priority,” he continued.
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