Abuja residents have called on the Federal Capital Terrritory Administration to build shelters at recognized bus stops as the rainy season intensifies.
The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it was unfortunate that most bus stops in the nation’s capital lacked shelters.
According to them, the matter has been worsened by the rainy season which leaves them drenched when the rain catches them on transit.
Miss Kameela Abdulhadi, a resident, said the lack of bus terminals made her to miss a job interview.
She said she could not proceed to the interview venue because she was drenched upon alighting from a commercial vehicle in the middle of a rain.
“I left home well prepared for the interview but it starting raining on my way and I did not get a place to shelter when I alighted from the cab.
“When I saw how heavy the rain was I became completely gutted because I knew I had no place to hide.
“On getting to the terminal at Aso drive, there was no shelter as the rain came alongside windstorm’’, she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also observed that most houses in Abuja are high rise and do not have balconies to serve as emergency shelter for stranded residents.
Abdulhadi said her experience also left her credentials half soaked.
Mrs Vivian John, who lives at Dutse Alhaji, said she most of the time she had her umbrella in her bag to prevent avert being wet by the rain.
According to her it is important to have the shelters at the bus stops because in some instances having an umbrella cannot save the situation.
“Sometimes the rain comes with windstorm that can even destroy the umbrella or force it to fly away from my hand.
“In a situation like that it is best to look for somewhere and stash until the rain reduces or stops.
“That is why we want the FCT Minster, Mr Nyesom Wike to construct shields where they are needed so that we can stay dry when it rains’’, she said.
Similarly a youth corps member, Samuel Adeshina, said it was a nasty experience for him on his way to Maitama to submit his re-posting letter.
He said there heavy rain and since he was in a public transport, he had no option than to alight from the vehicle.
He said he was saved by a pedestrian bridge under which he took shelter until the rain stopped.
“I don’t want to talk about how I felt that day. I was so cold I had to go back home. I felt sick because of that.
“I am a sickle cell carrier so my body quickly reacts to situations like that,” he told NAN.