The Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), has bagged yet another win by securing a MacArthur Foundation and Ford Foundation grant of 800million naira for the Original Inhabitants of the FCT.
Executive Director of CHRICED, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi announced this on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at the Grant Signing Ceremony in Abuja.
TheFact Nigeria gathered that the Original Inhabitants of the FCT have been clamouring for due representation and compensation by the government.
According to Dr. Ibrahim, the grants were to implement various projects, targeted at addressing the entrenched political, economic and cultural marginalisation of the Original Inhabitants of the FCT.
He posited that this was the dawn of a new era for the Original Inhabitants of the FCT and their decades-long struggle for justice, equity and fairness, within the context of the political, economic and cultural evolution of Nigeria.
The CHRICED Boss said:
“It is similarly pertinent to recall that when CHRICED got the support from MacArthur Foundation under the Equitable Recovery grant to work for ethnic justice as it concerns the marginalized and neglected Original Inhabitants of the FCT, the mandate was clear about the need to develop their organizational capacities for self-led campaigns and advocacies.
“CHRICED is confident that the process we have begun would effectively and sustainably position the Original Inhabitants in the FCT to address the root causes of the decades-long marginalization, discrimination and other pervasive forms of human rights violations”, he explained.
He further expressed CHRICED’s gratitude to the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and Ford Foundation for launching the Equitable Recovery intervention.
The Director, Africa Office of the MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Kole Shettima represented by the Senior Program Officer, MacArthur Foundation Nigeria, Dr. Amina Salihu advised the grant beneficiaries to collaborate eand also be innovative.
She emphasised the need for them to focus on the sustainability of their projects and the legacy they and their projects will leave behind when all was said and done.
His Royal Highness, Sarkin Karshi, Alhaji Ismaila Mohammed who spoke on behalf of the Original Occupants of the FCT thanked CHRICED for facilitating the grants and promised judiscious use of it.
Nine Original Inhabitants Organizations benefitted from the grant. They were: Abiodun Essiet Initiative For Girls, Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organisation, Association of FCT Traditional Rulers Wives , Center for Environmental Sustainability Development Awareness, Helpline Foundation For the Needy, Hipcity Innovation Hub, Mairo Women Foundation, Socio-Economic Research and Development Centre (SERDEC), Center for Transparency Advocacy.
