The influx of more residents into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) continues to compound exploding population in the nation’s capital despite government’s boast that it would curb the trend, KEHINDE OSASONA writes.
The rising population in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has taken a new dimension with more people trooping into the capital city to seek greener pastures.
Once described as latest city of refuge by a housing expert, managing the crowd and daily influx of people from the North and South according to Blueprint Weekend Checks has become a herculean task for the authorities with facilities and infrastructure being overstretched.
Worse still, the menace of immigrant squatters appears to have further compounded the situation as thousands of such stranded squatters now occupy not only uncompleted and abandoned houses but practically every available public and private space in the city and slums.
Consequently, experts have concluded that except a decisive action was taken urgently to check the menace the nation’s capital may have to contend with problems associated with population explosion including health hazards, crimes, and other vices.
For a resident simply identified as Haliru, who had come from the far North to seek greener pastures in the city, on arrival the number one problem he encountered was accommodation challenge.
According to him, those who brought him to Abuja told him that housing would not be a problem, only for him to come to the city and got stranded.
He said, “I am stranded here I must confess. Ever since I stepped in, the people that asked me to come and be doing pantekar business with them were nowhere to be found and they could not be reached.
“But luckily for me, I spoke Hausa language to some guys I met and they allowed me in their small room in an abandoned building around Katampe area.
“In the morning, some of them will go out to do menial jobs while others stayed back, but even at that, some of them are not friendly. They even told me that we could be thrown out at anytime and as I speak to you still don’t have solution. Thatbis why after spending nine months here I am planning to travel back home and manage my small work and family.”
Similarly, Aliu Bamai, an Okada rider, told our correspondent that he drove himself to Abuja from Kaduna and was received by his friends in Darki-biu, a suburb of the FCT.
“When I came in, they offered me accommodation and told me that business is good in Abuja provided I ply the approved routes ordered by the government.
“Ever since, we have been together, the four of us as I have not gotten enough money to rent a house as I would have to cough out between N70,000 to N80,000 for a room in that area.
“But one of us just did last month having been around for close to three years now. So, na ‘small, small’,” Bamai said smiling and nodding his head as he sought to carry a passenger.
Another squatter, who spoke to our correspondent, said pointedly that he has come to stay and was ready to do what it takes to stay.
On his part, while responding to questions from Blueprint Weekend Folami, a middle age man from Ilaje in Ondo state, maintained that he was in Abuja to make it.
He said, “To tell you the truth, I actually don’t have anyone in Abuja, but I am a graduate. I was in Lagos state for some years with a friend of mine where I hoped to secure a job to no avail, but getting here too, my hope was dashed.
“I read Engineering and the first time I got here, I slept at a garage in Area One because the person that promised me accommodation moved out of the city without telling me.
“Although he later called to tell me why he moved to Kaduna, claiming that I did not give him the impression that I was coming when he extended an invitation.
“Worse still, he said he can only ask me to sleep over in a friend place provided I choose to go back the next day. He did not call back after then and he could not be reached thereafter.
“Getting to the garage, I bathed there at Gida Wonkai and moved round the next day. But before I knew it, they were already talking about me and having slept there the second day, they noticed that I was stranded and started giving me issue.
“I left there eventually and met a guy who took me to where I was until it was demolished some few days ago but I have a small job that am managing. The truth, however, is that if I had better offer, I will leave Abuja without thinking twice as it looks like a city that is not for everybody. I have changed my mind after the demolition thing. They show no mercy here,”
Can it be curbed?
While dwelling on the issue during an official outing last year, the Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, disclosed that stopping the FCT’s population increase was not probable because of the nature of the city and the purpose it serves.
Bello, who explained that the rising population situation was simply a trend in urbanisation, noted that the administration was doing everything to manage the crowd by strengthening institutions and increasing infrastructure to meet the needs of the city.
“Urbanisation is a reality that we cannot reverse, it’s a worldwide phenomenon and urbanization will continue. As a matter of fact, it has been projected that by 2050, 70 per cent of the world’s population will be living in urban areas, Abuja is no exception.
“It has served as a magnet because it’s the centre of government, it’s secure, it’s peaceful, it’s in the centre of the country and it provides a tremendous amount of opportunities for young people. So, this will continue.
“It’s something that we are trying to manage. How do we manage it? We are strengthening our institutions, increasing infrastructure within the available resources, but with urbanization and movement of people, obviously, crime also increases; the need to handle urban waste increases, and so many other things.
“It’s something that we’ll keep on working on, and some of the demolitions we even do is as a result of that. When people come in, they don’t have housing, they don’t have accommodation, they go into shanties and they create slums.”
Any respite?
While reacting to the development, a government official, who did not want his name in print, divulged to Blueprint Weekend that most of the squatters were the get-away guys who probably got tired of the life in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp scattered around.
According to him, some of them would even prop up stories to elicit sympathy from whoever would listen, while some were simply job seekers who now see Abuja as their new haven.
The Director, FCT Development Control Department, Mukhtar Galadima, had once described the challenges as socio-economic, stating the department had demolished over 3,000 illegal structures owing to such menace.
On his part, a Sociologist, Seun Adeoye, described rural-urban migration as realities of life, pointing out that everybody wants to have a piece of the action of what transpires in the city centres.
“Have you wondered why some people would leave Chicago or Dallas for instance and relocate to New York City? It’s because that’s where the action is. Till today, Nigeria’s former capitals like Calabar since 1914 amalgamation, Lagos, Lokoja since the time it was the seat of Lord Luggard still and will continue to experience influx of immigrants looking for a better lives which they think a metropolitan city can offer them.
“So, Abuja will not be an exception. It’s the authority that should brace up because insecurity and other social menace are characteristics of urban city which should be the business of government.”
