Lawmaker decries dilapidated state of schools in FCT

A member of the House of Representatives, representing Bwari/AMAC federal constituency, Obika Chinedu has decried the dilapidated state of schools in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Chinedu, while speaking at the inaugural meeting of the house of representatives committee on federal capital territory (FCT) area councils and ancillary matters, said students in some schools in Abuja learn on bare floors due to the deplorable state of facilities.

The Labour Party (LP) lawmaker, who also noted that some of the schools are less than a kilometer drive to the Aso Rock, said the infrastructure in the capital city is dilapidated and requires urgent repair.

“The situation in the FCT is very pathetic. I can tell you that if you go to some of our primary schools in FCT today our students study on a bare floor.

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“We don’t have roofs over some of our schools in the FCT. Where I am referring to — some of them are just about two kilometres away from the seat of power.

“Our satellite towns are nothing to talk about. All the roads are dilapidated — if you go to places like Kubwa and Nyanya. Lugbe was allocated for more than 30 years. There is no infrastructure in Lugbe. FCT needs help”, Chinedu said.

According to the lawmaker, the nation’s capital is supposed to be a “pace setter” in comparison to other states of the federation.

Also speaking, Sada Soli, a lawmaker from Katsina, said the area councils in Abuja “have been left behind” in the infrastructural revolution and “need to catch up with the development”.

“It will be regrettable if a number of us will go through area councils. If you travel from here (national assembly) up to Robochi, you will shed tears,” he said.

Soli said members of the committee have a “daunting task” to help the area councils get an uplift.

The Minister of State for FCT, Mariya Mahmud, while addressing the lawmakers, said the federal capital development authority (FCDA) will work with the lawmakers to tackle the development challenges in Abuja.

“As it has been mentioned, there are so many problems and challenges that are related to area councils,” she said.

The minister, while promising to work with stakeholders towards the development and betterment of residents of the FCT and visitors said: “The FCTA would continue to support committee members in whatever we can with all hands on deck in discharging your constitutional oversight function.”

The Chairman of the Committee, Agbedi Frederick said lawmakers will “pay attention” to all the sectors in the FCT under the jurisdiction of the panel, including agriculture, cultural festivals, resettlement schemes, and satellite town development.

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