TheCable

Obika Chinedu, a member of the house representatives, has decried the dilapidated state of schools in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

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

The Labour Party (LP) lawmaker who represents Bwari/AMAC federal constituency, said some of the schools are less than a kilometer drive to the Aso Rock.

The legislator also 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,” he said.

“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.”

The lawmaker said 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.

While addressing the lawmakers, Mariya Mahmud, minister of state for FCT, 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 promised to work with stakeholders “towards the development and betterment of residents of the FCT and visitors”.

“The FCTA would continue to support committee members in whatever we can with all hands on deck in discharging your constitutional oversight function,” she said.

Agbedi Frederick, chairman of the committee, 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.