The Minister of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Malam Mohammed Musa Bello has approved the removal of 23 houses earlier marked for demolition at the Trade More Estate, Lugbe, Abuja Municipal Area Council next week.
The Director General of FEMA, Abbas Garba Idriss, announced this after a meeting with the Association of residents of Trade More Estate, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council and the Department of Development Control at the Estate.
Represented by the Acting Director, Forecasting Response and Mitigation,(FRM) Department of FEMA, Mrs Florence Wenegieme, Idriss informed that the affected properties were built on waterways thereby narrowing the water channels.
He blamed the perennial flooding at Trade More Estate on human induced activities, noting that the developer had allocated plots of land on waterways with development presently ongoing.
He explained that the 2022 annual flood outlook placed AMAC and Gwagwalada on high probable flood risk, stressing that Trade More Estate was on a low plain and advised residents to relocate to safer grounds.
The Director General further said that FEMA has stationed its rescue teams and local divers in flood prone areas of the Territory, barricaded vulnerable roads and mounted early warning signs, stressing that the vandalised signs would soon be replaced .
He further stated that FEMA would continue to carry out sensitization across all the area councils using town criers, as well as broadcast media and social media handles.
Lateefah Ibrahim
