Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Yusuf Ali Rabagardama, has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to save Abuja, the nation’s capital from flooding.
Ali who made the appeal in a statement issued to Journalists noted that of his 20 years in Abuja, he had not witnessed flooding as devastating as in recent times, expressing the fear that the city might be submerged if appropriate steps are not taken by the relevant authorities.
He noted that each time there was downpour, the city became waterlogged, advising that blockade drainage system should be cleared to allow free flow of water and prevent flooding of the city, “which might result in loss of life and property.
“I have been in Abuja for the past 20 years and what I am witnessing now is that whenever it rains, the city is partially submerged. This is unprecedented.
“Major parts of the city are always waterlogged at the slightest rainfall, forcing people to battle and meander through ponds before they could drive to their destinations. This is very unfortunate”.
The APC Chieftain who observed that the situation was gradually becoming a permanent feature in the FCT, however, attributed it to seemingly failure of governance and incompetence in the administration of the FCT.
“The easiest way to access whether an administration is performing is in the management of the environments of the jurisdiction of the city. When you see heaps of refuse around a city, it tells you that the administration has hit the rock bottom. Refuse gives rise to the blockage of the drainage system, which in turn prevents the free flow of water when it rains and if care is not taken, we will begin to witness floodings overtaking the city. This is unacceptable for Nigeria’s capital city.
“Not long ago, some people were reported to have been washed away by floodingss in the FCT. We have to wake up to address the simplest things that can be done to protect the lives and property of people in this country”. He said.
However, Ali appealed to the FCT Minister to provide purposeful leadership and direction in the FCT by getting all the organs of the Administration to be alive to their responsibilities.
“The people in charge of the environmental secretariat should not only busy themselves chasing after market women and roadside traders alone in the FCT, they should also look at their core mandate, which include but not limited to protecting the environments from natural disasters such as flooding, amongst other disasters”. He added.