The promotion of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Original Inhabitants’ rights received a boost on Thursday, when the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) received the sum of N55 million grant from the Resource Centre for Human Rights And Civic Education (CHRICED) and McArthur Foundation.

CTA said while disclosing the receipt of the Grant to the media, that the overall thrust and objective of the fund is promoting rights of original inhabitants in the 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.

Executive Director of CTA, Ms Faith Nwadishi, in a statement she issued Thursday, noted that for decades, FCT Original Inhabitants have faced several forms of infringement of their fundamental rights.

“This has manifested in the form of institutionalized discrimination, disenfranchisement and outright marginalization within the Nigerian polity,” Nwadishi said.

She added that CTA would implement the project through activities that would 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 is expected to last for two years, 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,” Nwadishi said.

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