By Fatima Saka
In recent times, environmental chaos have been ravaging a lot of communities in federal capital of Nigeria and Dogongada community is one of them, lacking in what could be called standard of development.
Dogongada is densely populated community, sitting in the heart of Abuja, the federal capital territory (FCT).
The community which is surrounded by Major Estates and has a boundary with Efab estate, not too far from SunnyVale Estate in Lokogoma in Municipal Area Council of the F.C.T, has been ravaged with environmental challenges, a major effect in transmission of communicable diseases.
Also lacking in basic amenities, like health care services, the community has no access to portable water which can improve health as well as sustainability to enhance community’s economic growth and reduces poverty.
Going through the unforeseen situation of Dogongada community which has been in existence before the FCT was built, Mr. Kaupaui Iirmiya, the community leader, revealed the challenges of Dogongada to Nature News Reporter.
According to Iirmiya, the major constraint the community is facing, is the bridge, with little or no government assistance.
“The bridge is built by our efforts, when it rains we don’t have any other access to town and we will have to wait for the rain to subside and the flood to reduce to certain level.
“Since the flood has been ravaging the bridge, we have loss many lives, also we have been making an efforts to fix the bridge within ourselves”, he added.
He further emphasised that, the community is also lack basic amenities, stating that there’s no water, no primary health care, no schools and no light, no police station, except for vigilante.
Iirmiya bitterly complained, that during childbirth their wives are taken to nearby community that has clinic.
Mr. Asu Anthony, another resident said passing through the bridge during raining season is a risk because they have loss many lives in the cause of flooding on the bridge, ”we don’t have any other route, it is just the bridge,” he said.
The government must pay attention to the environment, to reduce the sufferings of the dwellers In line with the environmental policy of Nigerian contained in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, section 20, which says the state is empowered to protect and improve the environment and safeguard the water, air and land among others.
Urban areas are not supposed to lack some basic amenities like water, basic healthcare, in addition to bad network of roads, and lack of electricity and bad drainage systems like the Dogongada community.
If the government emphasises on taxes in a daily routine through the tax collectors, the settlers of Dogongada will be found paying direct or indirect tax, and that will attract less attention from the government to community.
A clean environment is essential for healthy living. If nothing is done to improve the environment, the more it will become polluted with contaminants and toxins that have a harmful impact on human health.