Lawmakers push to establish agency for Abuja’s displaced original inhabitants
By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka, Abuja
A bill has been sponsored in the House of Representatives to establish the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Displaced Original Inhabitants Resettlement and Integration Agency, aimed at addressing the challenges faced by the original inhabitants of Abuja who have been displaced by the city’s rapid development.
The bill, sponsored by Hon. Joshua Chinedu Obika and co-sponsored by several other lawmakers, seeks to provide a systematic approach to resettling displaced original inhabitants into new communities with better support services, including housing, healthcare, education, and other social and infrastructural needs.
The bill’s objectives include establishing the agency, addressing the growing challenges faced by displaced original inhabitants, and promoting social integration and community cohesion to reduce social tensions and prevent disputes between the original inhabitants and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
The agency is expected to facilitate the restoration of dignity for the original inhabitants of the FCT, provide hope, and build a more inclusive society within the nation’s capital.
The bill has 22 clauses and one schedule, covering the establishment of the agency, composition and appointment of board members, functions of the agency, and sources of funding, among others.
The House of Representatives is expected to deliberate on the bill and consider its passage into law.
