Abuja-based NGO, Helpline Foundation For The Needy, on Thursday began an advocacy campaign to promote the political, socio-economic and cultural rights of the original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
This latest development by the organization was made known by President and Founder of the foundation, Dr Jumai Ahmadu, who spoke with newsmen during the advocacy meeting in Abuja.
The advocacy meeting which was sponsored by MacArthur Foundation had in attendance traditional rulers, women, youths, politicians and other stakeholders across the six area councils
According to Ahmadu, the initiative marked a turning point in the struggle for the promotion of the rights of the original inhabitants of the territory.
Ahmadu said the project became necessary as the original inhabitants had been undergoing several forms of alleged marginalisation in the FCT.
Praising all the royal fathers in the six area councils for their moral support, Ahmadu added that as major stakeholders in the project, it was clear that the outcome of the project must have an undertone of their (royal fathers) inputs.
“In line with the overall objective of the CHRICED project, we have entitled our sub-granted project `Revamping the cultural heritage of the original inhabitants through the empowerment of vulnerable women and marginalised youths`.
“This, we believe, will help alleviate poverty and improve livelihood in preserving the cultural repositories of the original inhabitants of Abuja,” she said.
Ahmadu thanked the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) and Macarthur Foundation for supporting the initiative.
She also implored all the original inhabitants of Abuja to collaborate to make their voices heard again in their land.
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