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Landlords, business owners, and investors have raised the alarm over pervasive flooding in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
In recent weeks, heavy rainfall has led to flooding in Maitama, Wuye, Wuse and Lokogoma, triggering public concern and scrutiny.
Speaking on behalf of the landlords, Chairman of the FCT Stakeholders Forum for Development (FSTF), David Sabo Kente, at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja, observed that communities that have never experienced such levels of inundation are now vulnerable.
According to him, homes have been submerged, roads cut off and livelihoods disrupted.
He called on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take immediate and decisive action to address flooding in the FCT, including desilting of drainages, enforcement against encroachment and a comprehensive review of the 1979 Master Plan.
He said Wike should ensure that all development projects follow due process to avoid imposing hardship on residents, even as FSTC pursue progress.
“We believe that with political will, stakeholder collaboration, and proper planning, Abuja can become both a model capital and a flood-resilient city,” he said.
Kente, however, claimed that the recent flooding was not a new problem, as Abuja had recorded flooding incidents long before the current administration under the Minister, Nyesom Wike.
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He argued that human and systemic factors are at play, including rapid urban expansion, the removal of drainage covers by scavengers and indiscriminate refuse dumping, which have contributed significantly to blocked waterways.
According to him, the 1979 Master Plan is outdated, saying that the document that guides development in the FCT no longer reflects the demographic and infrastructural realities of a capital city of over 3.5 million people, which requires urgent review and modernisation.
It is in this context that he passed a vote of confidence in the administration of Nyesom Wike.
While highlighting the achievements of Wike, he said, “in less than three years, the FCT has witnessed an unprecedented scale of infrastructural development and governance reform.
“Across the city and satellite towns, we are seeing massive flyovers, expanded carriageways, and newly paved roads. The Minister has approached governance with the conviction that “infrastructure is the supreme engine of economic survival.”
“Beyond roads, his administration has embarked on massive rehabilitation of public schools, provision of patrol vehicles to security agencies, construction of modern bus terminals and expansion of rural healthcare facilities.”
He remarked that ‘this reflects a deliberate effort to balance hard infrastructure with essential social services.
