The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has vowed to prosecute residents, developers and staff responsible for obstruction of waterways within the nation’s capital Abuja.
It resolved to this following flooding and loss of lives, in some parts of Abuja.
The Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Shehu Ahmed, stated this when he led some of FCTA Executives on a tour of flood prone areas in and around Abuja.
He said “the Department of Development Control, has already been given a matching order to immediately removed all constriction and all structures obstructing waterways along Lokogoma district and Airport road corridor in Abuja.”
Ahmed said that, “What we set out to do is actually to physically inspect all the critical locations for flash flooding spots within Abuja, especially following the flash flood incidents that occured on Saturday in which a lot of places were flooded.
“And these have raised a lots of concern for the FCT administration, the Minister of FCT Malam Muhammad Bello, convened an emergency executive meeting in which he directed, me to lead a team of technical departments that has to do with mitigation of flooding. So we embarked on this tour especially along the airport express way which is considered one of the principal gateways to international visitors and also presidential roots.”
He said; “All the places we visited we have issue of constriction of waterways and inadequacy of space that would allow passage of water. We have seen that this is an issue that must be addressed immediately and I think as we finished this inspection we are ready to start work and save lives.”
While at Dongo gada in Lokogoma, a notorious spot that have claimed about five lives, he said, “this particular entry point at Dongo gada is not the plan access to Lokogoma, the plan access is by Ahmadu Bello way extension and since provisions have been made we are going to close up this corridor to redirect traffic to use that point because we cannot continue to endanger the lives of people.
“We take exception to anyone that will want to use this road after it has been closed. We won’t allow any residents to risk their lives”.
He noted that, “The Department of Development Control has been given matching order to clear all obstruction on waterways especially Trademore Estate and Lokogoma district.”
On prosecution of those building on waterways and complexity of staff, Ahmed said, “Yes, our actions will be slightly different from what was obtained in the past culprits who are responsible in constricting waterways including our officers complexity in allowing development and we are not going to allow that.”n
The Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, TPL Shuaib Umar, lamented that the selfishness of few people, put lots of people’s lives in danger and that is not acceptable.
He said; “Most of these places that we have seen are attempt by people, to satisfy their interest against the interest of generality.
“The happening around these areas are very dangerous and the people in the area at times have the tenacity to take legal actions against us, however this will not deter us, we have existing laws that empowers us to go on this exercise.
“We are therefore appealing to residents to develop according to regulations because 95% of cases are infringements and violations and anywhere we found out that approval is given.”
Mercy Chukwudiebere
