Residents of six riverine communities in Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called on the FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, to redeem his promise to construct a bridge over River Gurara in the area.
Speaking with Aso Chronicle at the river bank on Saturday, spokesman of Mawogi community in the council, Malam Audu Kolo Mamagi, said villagers across the riverine areas are facing untold hardship due to the absence of a bridge cross River Gurara.
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Presently, the villagers said they use canoes to cross the river.
Mamagi said about four years since the minister visited the area in 2017 and promised to construct a bridge across the river, nothing has been done.
He said there are many communities such as Alu, Mamagi, Pachuwa Yewuni, Rimba, Pandagi and Ebagi that needed the bridge badly, adding that the villagers are farmers who need access to, not only their farms but to the markets to sell their produce.
According to him, secondary students in the riverine communities always took the risk of using canoes to cross the river before they can get to their schools every school day.
According to him, the bridge, if constructed, would help in boosting socio-economic activities in the area and other neighbouring communities in Niger State.
Reacting, the chairman of the council, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya, said he would write a reminder to the minister on the need for the bridge.
