FCT community laments lack of basic amenities

RESIDENTS of a rural community in the Federal Capital Territory, Rugan Hardo, have appealed to the government to provide them with potable water and other social amenities that will make life easy for them.

Rugan Hardo community has been in existence for over 20 years without potable water, health facilities and school. The indigenes of the community are predominantly Fulanis.

Investigation by the Nigerian Tribune has revealed that the community, unlike other communities in Abuja, was still far from civilisation. Save from the road leading to the community, the houses depict a typical rural community.

Majority of houses in the Rugan Hardo, numbering hundreds, were built with red muds, giving a round shape with thatch roof while residents are mainly cattle rearers.

The only outstanding structure is the village head, Hardo Mohammed’s house, built with cement bricks.

To residents of Rugan Hardo, the quest for potable water and basic health care is better imagined  as residents  shared the only source of drinking water, which was a nearby stream with their cattles.

Interestingly, this community is about a few kilometres away from the new train terminal in Idu, Karmo.

While on a visit to the village  settlement , the village chief, Hardo Mohammed,  begged for government’s intervention especially in the area of potable water, health and provision of schools.

“Our biggest challenge here is water. The well here dries up. The nearest to having water is a stream but it is the same stream that our cattle drink from. So if we don’t go to the stream very early enough like 5am, we won’t be able to access water,” Hardo said.

He explained further that, “we all know that it is not hygienic that our cattle drink from the same stream we also drink from same. So we are begging the government to make way for us to have access to clean and drinkable water, because water is life.”

Interaction with the community indicated that aside from other water borne diseases, malaria infection had been a major scourge. Clearly,there are no primary health care centres around to seek treatments.

The closest is Kuchingoro Primary Health Care Centre, which was recently commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari, except for Gwarinpa General Hospital which is located around Gwarinpa Estate.

The village head also lamented the non-availability of schools for children in the community as the nearest school is some kilometres away from them.

According to him, children are forced to trek from the community daily to Gwarinpa, a suburb which is about 45-minute drive away from the settlement.

“We have so many children in this community who need to go to school, but we do not have schools here. We cannot even afford to pay teachers to have them come over to teach our children and you know it is inappropriate for our children to be wandering around because we all know that education is important. So, if government can come to our aid, we will be excited and we will appreciate it.”