Waterfront residents in communities have pleaded with the Rivers state government not to demolish the area and throw them out of their dwelling place, but develop their habitations to a satisfactory standard.
This was part of the appeal by inhabitants during an outreach for Inclusive Participation in Governance, organised by Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development, CEHRD, in conjunction with Independent Community Media Advocacy Project and National Endowment for Democracy, NED.
Mr Barika Nwideezua, from the Nigerian Slum and Informal Settlement Federation, Port Harcourt Branch, said: “We do not want the eviction of our communities again because we have lived here for so many years.
“Take, for example, my own community, Egede waterfront, that has been in existence since 1954 and you will now say as a government you want to push people away.
“It is unfair to suddenly drive people away from where they have lived for years and called a home, where their source of livelihood lies and then their children live there with them as a family.
“It amounts to violation of the people’s right, so we are saying no to eviction. Instead, government should come and develop the area for us; we want to be a part of this process as a people.”
“Government should develop the community based on existing structures, not to clear what had been in existence because they want to develop the community.
“If they say they want to demolish, they have demolished Abonnema Wharf, demolished Agip waterfront in 2014, demolished Njemanze, Andoni village, Eagle Island and Anyamakara and nothing has been done in these areas as I speak with you today.
“These places are still empty, but the next thing you will see is a private company built on the land, they have turned the grabbed pieces of land to their personal property, you will not see any project that will benefit the people there,” he said.
“We are gathered here today to discuss ‘Inclusive Participation in governance’ because the 2019 election is fast approaching.
“As citizens of informal settlement, Waterfront communities in Port Harcourt, we have the right to vote and right to get the dividends of democracy in our communities.
“You cannot talk about developing communities without the adequate participation of these people in the decision- making process or the planning process.
“Because we have the right as a people living in a community, let us be included in the decision- making process when issues concerning development that affect us arise so we can point out the most needed development in the community.”
