Centre for Transparency Advocacy and eight other Sub- grantees supported by CHRICED and MacArthur is implementing the FCT OI project which is aimed at Promoting the Rights of Original Inhabitants (OIs) In Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Based on the broad outcomes of CHRICED, CTA is focusing on Promoting Cultural Values and Environmental Rights of Original Inhabitants (OIs) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through Drama and Art Forms. In this case, CTA will be using TFD as her key strategy. CTA is privileged to work with a large repertoire of media partners. The project was launched on December 14, 2021. CTA will be implementing this project through well thought out activities that will “enable existing Original Inhabitants efforts to revamp dying cultural values, treasures and repositories.” For these reasons, exploring cultural sites are our key targets because this will help us not only showcase the culture of the OI but also know the history behind its existence. |
Objective(s) of the activity: Establishment / inauguration of communit Quarterly town hall meeting of ambassadors.
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GOOD WILL MESSAGES The district head of Ushafa represented by Engr. Ayuba Diko Alaye, the committee chairman and youth leader of Ushafa community. He told the story of how Ushafa community is lacking water and yet the Usman dam is constructed in their villages which by right they were entitled to portable drinking water but till date no water and nothing has been done. He expressed the kind of hardship the indigenous people go through and how they had tried on their own part to put an end to it yet nothing has been done. He encouraged the indigenous people to rub minds together especially with their royal fathers. The traditional rulers must come together and work things out so that the voices of the people can be heard.
Goodwill message from Mr. Ibrahim Abdoulayes from the Mining Cadastre office. He expressed his gratitude for been invited because he is a stakeholder to the mining industry. He congratulated CTA putting up the event. He expressed his dissatisfaction in most CDAs he sees that passes through their office and added that some of the request is quite disturbing because is not a community-based project but on self and gave instances like renovation of the king’s palace, gifts for Sallah and Christmas. He mentioned that when signing the CDA, communities should make sure they are guided by professionals so as to have full benefits of it. He congratulated the Indigene present to learn from the event and encouraged that they should rub minds in seeing that their communities get the best from the project
The district of Garki represented by Mr. Lazarus Nuhu Nyahalo, the Secretary to the Sapayi of Garki.
He mentioned that FCT Ushafa is one of the oldest communities so far and Engr. Ayuba Diko Alaye just did a summary of the hardship of the Original Inhabitants. He added that the people were uprooted from their land and their source of water and replaced with the Usman Dam and for over 40 years Ushafa still do not have water. He explained that there are no communities that the FCDA have provided water for apart from those at the city center communities not even light. He added that the light and water seen in such places is based on individual effort. He tied Nigeria not winning any match on the Abuja stadium as part of the consequences of the evil that was done to communities resettled from the land where the stadium is until the people are treated with fairness. As regard mining, he quoted that “what you do not have, you can not give” and appealed to CTA to school the communities on how to come up with a good contract agreement so that they can be happy and fulfilled because knowing their right is key for the indigenous people of FCT.
Message from Mr. Festus Yakubu, President Original Inhabitant persons with disability in the six-area councils He thanked the Executive Director of CTA for the opportunity created for the indigenes of the FCT. He added that the Original Inhabitants of FCT have been neglected and rejected, how much the people with disabilities who are the receiving end and yet no benefit has come to them as a subset of the indigenous people. He mentioned that the PWDs of FCT have been robbed a lot from different angle; in education, in employment, the Government does not even carry them along. He prayed for God’s blessing on CTA for coming up with such a laudable programme for the voices of the PWDs to be heard.
Goodwill and Advice from Mr. Dieter A. Bassi from NEITI who is an expert on CDAs. The stated that the most critical thing is for the people to understand the CDA and how to make their ask and advised that everybody should be taken along in the signing of the agreement and not be selfish so that there is a fair deal for both the company and the indigenes.
Response of the Executive Director of CTA to Mr. Dieter’s speech. She stated that there is a plan to have a model community development agreement and training of communities in the Art of negotiation. She added that the Minister of Mines and Steel Development have given his word to the Organization on the project to give their technical support and guidance. Official Inauguration of the cultural ambassadors. The names of the nominees as cultural ambassadors and members of the community theatre group was presented by Executive Director and formal inauguration was made
