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 flood.
Ali said in a statement that of the 20 years he had lived in Abuja, he had not witnessed flooding as devastating as in recent times.
He expressed fear that the city might be submerged if appropriate steps were not taken by the relevant authorities.
He said whenever there was downpour, the city became waterlogged. He therefore advised that blocked drainage system should be cleared to allow free flow of water and prevent flooding of the city.
This, he said, might lead to 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 situation, he said, was gradually becoming a permanent feature in the FCT.
“The easiest way to access whether an administration is performing is in the management of the environment 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 flooding overtaking the city. This is unacceptable for Nigeria’s capital city.”
“Not long ago, some people were reported to have been washed away by flooding 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”.
” We are appealing 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 in the FCT. They should also look at their core mandate, which include but not limited to protecting the environment from natural disasters such as flooding, amongst other disasters,” he said.
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