By Olokuta Rofiat
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Chinedu Obika, representing AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency, has sponsored a bill to establish the Federal Capital Territory Displaced Original Inhabitants Resettlement and Integration Agency.
The proposed agency is aimed at addressing the decades-long challenges of displacement suffered by natives as a result of urban development in Abuja.
Obika disclosed this during a two-day town hall meeting in Abuja themed “The 1999 Constitutional Amendment Exercise and Other Matters.”
He explained that the agency would be responsible for coordinating compensation and overseeing the resettlement and integration of indigenous communities affected by development projects, thereby ensuring fairness and justice.
The lawmaker further revealed plans to sponsor two additional bills: one for the creation of the FCT Scholarship Board to provide educational support for indigenous pupils and students, and another for the establishment of the FCT Emergency Management Agency to strengthen disaster response across the territory.
In his remarks, Comrade Ezekiel Musa Dalhatu, former FCT Commissioner at the Public Complaints Commission and pioneer leader of the Coalition of FCT Indigenous Associations, commended Obika for initiating the town hall meeting and championing legislative measures to address the concerns of original inhabitants.
The move has reignited debate on the plight of FCT natives, who have long demanded stronger legal frameworks to safeguard their rights amid the capital city’s rapid expansion.
