By Wumi Oyehan Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has disclosed the suspension of a director of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for allegedly granting illegal building approvals on waterways in Abuja.
Wike said the action was part of efforts by the FCT Administration to address recurring flooding in the nation’s capital, which he attributed partly to years of illegal construction on waterways and the impact of climate change.
Speaking during a media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the minister said structures erected along waterways had obstructed natural drainage channels, worsening the flooding experienced in parts of Abuja during heavy rainfall.
“The floods in Abuja today are a result of people building on waterways in Abuja illegally over the years,” Wike said.
He added that the administration had moved against an official allegedly involved in facilitating illegal developments.
“We suspended a director in the FCDA according to the Civil Service rule who was illegally giving building approvals to build on waterways,” the FCT Minister said.
Wike, however, noted that illegal construction was not the only factor responsible for the flooding, as climate change had also contributed to the recent situation.
“Climate change is also responsible for the flooding being experienced recently in Abuja,” he said.
The minister’s comments come amid growing concerns over flooding in several parts of the Federal Capital Territory following heavy rainfall.
The FCT Administration has, in recent months, intensified efforts to remove illegal structures and developments obstructing waterways and drainage channels as part of measures to reduce the risk of flooding in the capital.