CSOs Urges National Assembly To Endorse Amendments Targeting FCT Natives
By Sadiq Abubakar, Abuja.
Some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), has called on members of the national assembly to vote in favour of the proposed amendments to the 1999 constitution aimed at redressing the injustices and marginalization faced by the original inhabitants of the nation’s capital.
In a joint statement signed by the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) alongside nine other groups, which was issued to newsmen in Abuja, on Sunday, the groups lamented that for several decades, FCT original inhabitants have endured untold hardships, political marginalization, and economic deprivation despite the monumental sacrifices they made to provide Nigeria with the space for its capital and acclaimed “Centre of Unity.”
The groups noted that while the amendments proposed in the report of the national assembly committee on constitutional review fall short of what is required to comprehensively address the issues confronting the natives, the proposals will serve as a starting point for Nigeria to demonstrate its appreciation for what the natives sacrificed by yielding their homelands to accommodate the nation’s capital.
“We believe that as the national assembly votes tomorrow, it should reflect on the enormous sacrifices made by the FCT’s original inhabitants to provide us with the capital, which is now a shared space for all Nigerians.” the statement said.
The group further noted that the proposal to establish a Mayor for the FCT and to ensure that an Indigenous person from the FCT is nominated as a minister in the Federal Executive Council (FEC) are commendable.
“And while these modest gains are better than nothing, it must be stated that the injustices endured by the original inhabitants of the FCT extend far beyond the scope of these proposals. As such, while we hope that these proposals receive overwhelming support from national assembly members, we will continue to advocate for additional concessions on broader issues such as the statelessness of the FCT’s Original Inhabitants.” the statement added.
The groups noted that a unanimous endorsement of the proposals targeting FCT original inhabitants would be a just reward for the peaceful and nonviolent disposition of the people who have had to endure over four decades of marginalization and deprivation in their ancestral homelands.
Our correspondent report that the CSOs members that signed the statement are, Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education, Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organization, Association of FCT Traditional Rulers Wives, Mairo Women Foundation, Helpline Foundation for the Needy.
Others included Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls, Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Development Awareness, Socio-Economic Research and Development Centre, Centre for Transparency Advocacy and HipCity Innovation Centre.
