The living condition of about three million people living in Zhipe community in Karu Local Area Council of Nasarawa State is pathetic.
Zhipe, in the axis of Karshi, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is less than one hour’s drive to Abuja, the nation’s capital, but its inhabitants are too far from civilization. There is nothing on ground in the community to show the presence of Karu LGA not to talk of Nasarawa State government.
The road connecting the community to Karshi is nothing to write home about, let alone a healthcare centre. There is no bore-hole; the only source of water for the people is a stream, where both human and animals drink from.
The only infrastructure in Zhipe community is the Jijipe Community Primary School of about six dilapidated classrooms that, in normal circumstances, should have been demolished, to avoid it collapsing on the pupils.
Sunday Vanguard’s visit to the community revealed that the people had been long abandoned by government.
They are only remembered during election period when promises are made by politicians never to be fulfilled.
The head of the community, the Esu-Zhipe, Alhaji Allhassan Muhammadu, in an interview, said they had been neglected because of their political affiliation.
Muhammadu maintained that the current administration in the state is led by the All Progressive Congress (APC), and that, because his people chose to follow People Democratic Party (PDP), the authorities refused to listen to their yearnings.
“We don’t have water; no good road, as you can see our road yourself, when you were coming. No water, we drink from the same stream where cows and sheep drink from. As big as this community is, there is no single borehole. Anytime we talk to the people at the local council, they don’t take action,”he stated.
“The only thing that is here is that primary school you see at the entrance. The school is not a good place for learning. What can somebody learn under that condition, where the building is almost collapsing? We have appealed to government but nothing is being done up till now.
“My people are struggling to survive, there is no electricity, we are farmers and to even get to town to sell our farm produce is a problem. Help us to tell government to come and help us.”
Also the PDP Youth Leader in Karshi 2 Ward, Karu LGA, Amos Musa, explained that the problem they faced is insincerity from those at the helm of the affairs at the state and local government levels.
The youth in the community can either farm or ride motorcycle popularly known as ‘Okada’, with little education, as those who have the zeal to further their education beyond primary school have to go to another village, Takalafia, for post-primary school education.
The challenges in Zhipe, no doubt, compelled Miss FCT Tourism, Cynthia Adegwe Uyo, and Miss FCT Niger Delta, Tokoni Esther Atin, to focus their pet projects on ‘Improving Girl Child Education’ and ‘Caring for Elderly in the Society’ respectively.
The duo, in partnership with the United Care for Women Initiative (UCAWIN), a non-government organisation, tried to bring succour to the inhabitants by donating relief materials to them.
Cynthia said, “I’m here in Zhipe community because my project is based on the girl-child, I’m here to sensitise them about their right to education, to make them understand that they have potentials and qualities to stand right in the society irrespective of gender.
“The real definition of girl inspired by me; the G stands for guard, that is to help guard them in the society so they can go through the right direction. I stands for inspire to help inspire them so they can know they have qualities and dignity.
R stands for respect because I noticed that in our society today people don’t really respect these girls, but I want to tell the society that they are meant to be respected like the male children. L stands for love, they deserved to be loved and cared for.”
On her own part, Atin said: “I am here in this community to reach out to the elderly ones because people have forgotten them as are the ones that brought us up, they are the ones that trained us, but when they grow old they are forgotten.
“No health care, no water, no clothing, no necessary amenities. I am here to see in any little way we can help them, to let their voice be heard and be spoken about.”
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Pls people of Nigeria nah true?
ReplyDeleteNot only Zhipe, its same in most villages here in Nigeria!
ReplyDelete