A flooded section of FCT Abuja
The Chairman of the Forum of Former Enugu State House of Assembly members and erstwhile Southeast spokesman for President Bola Tinubu, Dr Josef Onoh, has attributed the massive and aggressive flooding in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to illegal development along waterways and urged immediate federal action.
NewsBits reports that heavy rains on Monday left major districts of the FCT submerged, with videos circulating online showing vehicles stranded and roads turned into rivers. Flooding has become an annual challenge in some parts of Abuja during the rainy season, often linked by urban planners to poor drainage and construction on floodplains, NewsBits learnt.
Onoh, who was the Chairman of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, (ECTDA), said the situation went beyond heavy rainfall, calling it “the direct result of reckless development and the criminal encroachment of our waterways.” He warned that without urgent intervention; Abuja risked a full-blown environmental crisis.
Onoh recalled he had raised similar concerns last year about the systematic blockage of natural water channels in the FCT but regretted that those warnings were ignored outright. He called on President Tinubu to direct the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take immediate steps to conduct a comprehensive audit and mapping of all encroached waterways and floodplains.
He also suggested the revocation and demolition of illegal structures built on waterways; carry out mass desilting and rehabilitation of drainage systems in vulnerable districts; and enforce environmental protection laws to prevent further encroachment. He offered his expertise ‘pro bono’ to assist with the demolition exercise, citing his experience running a similar agency in Enugu State.
According to Onoh, “If urgent attention is not given to this matter, not only will FCT residents soon resort to using boats to access different parts of the city after every rainfall, but critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges, public buildings, and utilities, will be in danger.”
