Rigasa: The forgotten community

Rigasa is a friendly environment as opposed to some erroneous claims by some media stations who probably lack professionalism in journalism.

The community has the largest share in terms of economic, political and socio-economic contributions of any single community to Kaduna State. Residents of the community are among the top contributors of GDP to the state government.

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The community is a sub-urban settlement within a very close proximity to Kaduna metropolis; it is estimated to inhabit more than a million people. It also hosts villages such as Danmani, Nariya, Makera, Mashi, Hayin Malam Bello, Sabon-garin Rigasa, Kwate, Mai-giginya, among others. More so, the community has the largest public basic school in the sub-saharan Africa, initiated by Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai. Also, it hosts the Kaduna-Abuja train station. It is believed that Rigasa hosts important dignitaries.

However, you may be stunned to hear some shocking revelations that Rigasa is backward politically, socio-economically and infra-structurally.

 It is indisputable that the community is the most populous ward in Nigeria. But worrisome situation is that it has no federal hospital, no modern market by the state or federal government, no single bank, no single company, no state or federal parastatals, and has only one primary health care center.

In addition, many bridges in some major roads in the community are damaged and need to be fixed. 

Associations in the community had filed many reports to the former minister of environment (now minister of agriculture) who is an ally of the community before he left the ministry of environment, but all these efforts were to no avail.

It is very unfortunate and shameful to note that our representatives including senators, federal representatives, chairman, and state representatives do nothing or little on taking the community to the Promised Land. They neglect us, and consequently beat about the bush in addressing the problems of the community.

Rigasa is in dire need of banks, PHCs, and modern markets. Daura Road drainage should be fixed; roads like Makera, Danmadami and Abuja Road need urgent attention. 

 In conclusion, it is high time everything was done to rescue our community from the strangulation of underdevelopment and backwardness as currently reflected in socio-economic, and political standpoint.

Abdulazeez Alhassan writes in via [email protected]