Asokoro is one of the biggest cities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); a highbrow area said to be exclusively preserved for the rich, with sophisticated, state-of-the-art buildings and beautifully laid-out streets; a secure, organized and clean environment.
Situated in the heart of Asokoro is a small community known as Kpaduma village, which was originally founded by Gbagyi-speaking people over 100 years ago, but now consists of people from various ethnic groups in Nigeria.
History
According to the history of this community, many decades ago there was a forest with a tree which had a shape like a human face on it; called ‘Kpaduma’ in the Gbagyi language. The tree was the tallest in the forest and was said to heal several ailments, causing people to come from far and near to cut from it. Gradually people began to settle in the area and it eventually became a community. That was how the community got its name, from the tree Kpaduma
However, a visit to the community by NAIJ.com revealed that Kpaduna community suffers from a lack of basic needs, from poor roads to no access to electricity, pipe-borne water, primary healthcare centres, schools and basic security, despite the surrounding development in Asokoro city.
Samuel Joseph, a youth in the community, lamented the current situation. He said:“Youths of this community has been on the fore front over the years for a solution to these problems because it concerns lives of people who cannot afford a private hospital in the city of Asokoro.
“The only government hospital in Asokoro is far from this community and always very populated because people come from far and near to the hospital. I believe we are supposed to have a primary health centre here to attend to emergency issues. Not when there is an emergency one will drive far to Asokoro general hospital. What if it happens at night? What is our faith?
“Although electricity has been brought to some part of the community due to our persistence and effort, it is yet to go round the community, which means some people don’t have electricity in their homes.
“We are therefore calling on the government to come to our aid and bring us out of this punishment,” Joseph said.
The community is also faced with water shortages and some residents rely on water vendors to get water.
“We have just one bore hole in the community where people get water. Some of us have to buy from water vendors,” Jane Nwankpa, a resident, said
Some of the residents believe that the erosion can be prevented if the roads are repaired and waterways constructed.
Ayo Adedayo, a taxi driver who plies the bad roads daily, said the condition of the roads has resulted in fewer taxis coming into the community.
“The way the community is neglected is the reason why refuse are dumped indiscriminately. The community leaders have made several effort to make the Abuja Environmental Protection Board bring waste bins into the community but nothing has been done. The erosion also should be looked into before it destroys properties and lives.
“We are pleading to the FCT administration to provide waste bins so that people can have where to dump their refuse. The government also should please make the roads look like other roads within Asokoro city.
“I believe we all as Nigerians are supposed to enjoy the same benefits, not some group of people enjoying and others suffering,” Adedayo added.
Kpaduma community is really in dire need of the government’s intervention to address these problems.
Speaking also to NAIJ.com, Chinedu Orji said that providing good access roads in the community will encourage more development in the area.
“Good road network is very necessary because it brings development into a community like this. We ask that the government look into this and more people will be encouraged to develop the community,” Orji said.
Dan Fenu, a youth in the community, also told NAIJ.com that there is a need to deploy more security operatives to the community to prevent the theft of residents’ belongings and money.
Source: NAIJ.com
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