A visit to the community revealed that despite being visibly polluted and unsafe for human consumption, families in Dokuma have no alternative but to drink from it, cook with it, bathe in it, and wash their clothes in it.
For more than five decades, residents of Dokuma, a community in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, neglected by the Nigerian government have been trapped in a cycle of hardship and denied social amenities, relying solely on a contaminated stream for their daily water needs.
The stream, used by both humans and animals, is the only available water source for the community.
A visit to the community revealed that despite being visibly polluted and unsafe for human consumption, families in Dokuma have no alternative but to drink from it, cook with it, bathe in it, and wash their clothes in it.
The health consequences have been devastating including outbreaks of typhoid, diarrhoea, and cholera which have become commonplace.
One of the women in the community lamented, One woman told us, “I’ve lived here for 15 years since I got married. This is the only water we’ve ever had. It spoils our white clothes, and we know it’s making us sick.”
Despite the health risks, they have no alternatives, meanwhile, it was gathered that politicians have visited the community several times and made several promises, none of which has ever been fulfilled, hence, nothing has changed.
Reacting to heartbreaking conditions the community has been subjected to, MonITNG, a civic technology platform that provides citizens with information to track the progress of public projects and access public data, which visited the community noted that year after year, residents were told a borehole would be provided, but every promise has been empty.
According to the organisation, “A single borehole could drastically improve the quality of life in Dokuma.
“The people are not asking for luxuries, they are asking for clean water, for their children to grow up without waterborne diseases, and for a basic level of dignity.”
The organization further stated, “We acknowledge and commend the efforts of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, particularly his recent trip to China to build partnerships aimed at improving water access in satellite towns.
“This shows there is political will to solve this long-standing issue.
“As these initiatives move forward, we are appealing to the FCT Minister and Senator Ireti Kingibe to ensure that Dokuma is included in the upcoming N50billion FCT water infrastructure project.”
MonITNG stressed, “This community has been forgotten for far too long. Clean water is a right, not a privilege.”
In a similar situation, a visit to the LEA Primary School in the same community revealed not just infrastructure decay, but a heartbreaking story of forgotten children.
Inside the crumbling walls, over a hundred pupils try to learn while sitting on bare floors.
The roofs are falling apart, and when the sun blazes, there’s no ceiling to shield them. When it rains, the classroom becomes a puddle.
There are no chairs or desks, hence, many of these children, some as young as five years, carry chairs and tables from home on their heads just to have a place to sit.
They bring them every morning and return them every afternoon because the school’s doors and windows are broken, making it unsafe to leave anything behind.
Unfortunately, those who can’t afford furniture are left with no choice but to sit on dusty floors.
During the visit, it was discovered that the physical discomfort is only one part of their struggle as there is no electricity, no water, and no road to the school, hence, most teachers reject postings to this community.
It was gathered that those who accept their posting to the school show up only once a week, sometimes less.
Calling on the Nigerian government to take immediate action on the school, MonITNG noted, “These children want to learn.
“They show up every day, but the system sends them a different message: that their dreams don’t matter, that their future can wait.”
Meanwhile, parents and community leaders said that they have written letters to appropriate authorities and lodged complaints for years but no response.
However, during political campaign seasons, politicians arrive at the community with promises and handshakes.
Lamenting their numerous ordeals and pains, the community said they are not asking for anything extravagant, just walls that don’t leak, chairs to sit on, and teachers to guide their children.
Unfortunately, they lamented that after the elections, the same politicians vanish while their calls go unanswered, and their hope dims again.
MonITNG said, “All of this is happening in Nigeria’s capital city.
“Despite the billions allocated to education over the past few years, children in Dokuma are learning in conditions that deny their dignity and crush their potential.
“We are calling on FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Senator Ireti Kingibe to hear their cry.
“These children are not asking for luxury, they are asking for the bare minimum to dream.”
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Neglected Abuja Community Forced To Drink Contaminated Stream For Decades As Only School Lies In Ruin – Sahara Reporters
