By Stanley Onyekwere
Community leaders in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been enjoined to take greater responsibility at ensuring their subjects and residents within their various domains comply with waste disposal and building regulations.
The FCTA Permanent Secretary, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa made this call at the flag off of the 2019 Flood Assessment of flood prone areas in the six Area Council of the FCT at Ashara, in Kwali Area Council.
Ohaa noted that flooding, unfortunately has become a recurring incident in some of FCT communities , even in normal rainfall seasons.
This, according to the Permanent Secretary, is largely due to human influence, especially the persistent attitude of improperly dumping refuse in drainages, farming on river banks and building on waterways, as in the case of Lokogoma District, which are violations of laid down environmental and development regulations.
According to him, the cause of the rampaging occasional flooding in FCT has been traced to actions of estate developers who deliberately contravene provisions of Master Plan and erected structures on flood plains and natural water channels.
He however warned that potential property buyers or off-takers in the FCT to always conduct due diligence before taking possession of such property.
He adds: “ People should find out from the relevant authorities in the FCTA if developers have met the masterclass required before building houses.”
Earlier , the Director General , FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Alhaji Abass Idriss said government is guaranteeing the safety and wellbeing of the people by giving utmost priority to investing available resources in pursuance of disaster prevention programmes such as; relief and rehabilitation to flood affected persons.
He lamented that in the past three years some lives have been lost to flood in in the nation’s capital.
Idriss strongly appeal to community leaders and their subjects to take greater responsibility for flood risk prevention.
He opined that no body can safeguard communities from flood and other dangers more than communities willing to safeguard themselves.
Also speaking, Etsu. of Yaba , Abdullahi Adamu, commend the FCT Administration for the initiative taken to reawaken the people towards protecting their environment through promotion of environmental friendly practices.
The Monarch however requested that military check point be in mounted in Yaba to tighten security within the nation’s capital as according to him the area has become easy escape route for criminals especially car thieves.