By MUHAMMAD LAWAL

The 85-year-old Amanawa lepers community in Kebbi has cried out over decades of neglect which has turned the community into a “ghost area”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the community, located along Birnin Kebbi-Kalgo road, was established by the by the missionaries and later converted to a Leprosery, Tuberculosis and Skin Disease Treatment Centre during the reign of Emir of Gwandu, late Alhaji Yahaya Ibn Haliru.

Alhaji Sarki Garba, the Sarkin Kutare of Amanawa, said they have become used to the neglect, which has now been exacerbated by alleged forceful takeover of their farms by local council officials.

“We are living in a community where no developmental project is visible, apart from that, the Kalgo Local Government Chairman recently took over our farmlands and allocated same to other people.

“The farmlands remained the source of food for our families.

“As Sarkin Kutare of Amanawa, I have spent 59 years in this community and government had approved the area as a permanent quarantine centre for us to reside.

“Farmlands were allocated to us as a source of livelihood, this is the only place we cultivate and produce food to feed our families.

“We have spent years farming in the said farmlands without any problem and nobody ever claimed ownership of these farmlands,” he told newsmen on Monday in Birnin Kebbi.

He said that their problem began towards the end of formet Gov. Abubakar Bagudu’s tenure.

“We were informed by Kalgo local government council that all our farmlands belong to government, and thereafter, these farmlands were sketched into plots of land and distributed to unknown individuals by the immediate past council chairman.

“As I talk to you, all the leprosy infected persons living in Amanawa community have no place to cultivate crops,” the head of the community said.

Garba said apart from the takeover of their farms, the area never had any worthwhile essential services.

“I can assure you that the area has been totally abandoned, we don’t have good educational facilities within the quarantine area, even the one built before now by colonial masters need urgent repairs,” he added.

He further said the leprosy treatment centre needed expansion and perimeter fence to avoid further encroachment, as well as additional personnel and drugs.

“The male and female quarantine wards are all dilapidated beyond repair. We are urging the present administration to urgently come to our aid.

“We hope this present administration of Comrade Nasir Idris will listen to our plight and provide lasting solution to our problems,” he pleaded.

NAN reports that only 11 parents in the community were able to pay for their children to obtain secondary education, while the rest remained idle.

NAN also reports that the primary school in the area is facing acute shortage of teachers, instructional materials and conducive learning environment, among other needs. (NAN)

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