Bwari residents, centre unveil development plan to engage FG

In a move to demand better governance and improved service delivery, residents of Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in partnership with the HipCity Innovation Centre, have launched a comprehensive Development Charter aimed at tackling the pressing social and infrastructural challenges facing their communities.

The Charter, unveiled at a well-attended event in Bwari, was created through months of grassroots engagement, with contributions from women, youth, and persons with disabilities. It captures the collective aspirations of the people and is expected to serve as a roadmap for meaningful collaboration between the Federal Government and the community.

The Executive Director of the HipCity Innovation Centre, Bassey Bassey, described the document as both a manifesto of rights and a powerful tool to strengthen accountability between residents and the government.

“Bwari is one of Abuja’s fastest-growing councils, yet its people face enormous challenges—unaffordable housing, inadequate transportation, weak service delivery, and exclusion of vulnerable groups,” Bassey said. “This Charter is the response of the residents themselves, crafted from months of dialogue with women, youth, and persons with disabilities. It captures their realities and their vision for an inclusive, sustainable Bwari.”

He further explained that the Charter aligns with Nigeria’s national development priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), positioning Bwari as a potential model for inclusive and sustainable urban development.

Bassey called for stronger collaboration between government authorities and the local community, stressing that true development must prioritize people and their rights rather than focusing solely on physical infrastructure.

“The Charter before us is a roadmap; therefore, let us walk it together, because a city is more than its buildings. It is its people, its rights, and its possibilities,” he declared.

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The unveiling ceremony drew government officials, community leaders, and civil society organizations, who hailed the initiative as a vital step toward ensuring that no resident of Bwari is left behind in the area’s development journey.

With the Charter now in place, residents of Bwari and HipCity have signaled a new era of civic engagement, seeking to hold the government accountable while building a future that reflects the needs and aspirations of the people.