Centre gets N55m grant to promote FCT Original Inhabitants’ rights

The promotion of FCT original inhabitants’ rights gets a boost on Thursday with the sum of Fifty-five million Naira granted by the Resource Centre for Human Rights And Civic Education (CHRICED) and McArthur Foundation to the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA).

CTA said while disclosing the Grant to the media, that the overall thrust and objective of the fund is promoting rights of original inhabitants in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Centre further said it was to implement projects by promoting the cultural values and rights of Original Inhabitants of FCT, through drama and art form.

Speaking in a statement, Executive Director of CTA, Ms Faith Nwadishi said for decades FCT Original Inhabitants have faced several forms of infringement of their fundamental rights.

Nwadishi stressed “This has manifested in the form of institutionalized discrimination, disenfranchisement and outright marginalization within the Nigerian polity.” She added that CTA will implement the project through activities that will enable existing Inhabitants efforts to revamp dying cultural values, treasures and repositories. Also, it aims at boosting the capacity of the Original Inhabitants to negotiate good Community Development Agreement (CDAs) with mining companies to address negative environmental impacts and the destruction of cultural sites due to mining activities.

The project targets two years duration within which significant improvement of access to environmental service delivery by mining companies and government agencies as well as cultural sites of Original Inhabitants of FCT would be achieved.

CTA expresses appreciation for the support by both CHRICED and McArthur Foundation to deliver on the project.