The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration under Minister Nyesom Wike has commenced a review of the 1979 Abuja Master Plan to address emerging challenges associated with the rapid expansion of the nation’s capital.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the development was disclosed by Lere Olayinka, media adviser to Wike, in a statement on Monday, following the flooding recorded in parts of Abuja after a heavy downpour on Saturday.
According to Olayinka, the review is intended to accommodate the changing realities of Abuja, particularly the pressure being placed on the city’s infrastructure by its continued expansion.
He said the recent flooding was a reminder of the need to strengthen the city’s drainage infrastructure, improve waste management and enforce planning regulations.
“Abuja has been witnessing floods long before Wike assumed office,” Olayinka said, noting that parts of the capital had experienced flooding during heavy rainfall in previous years.
He cited flooding in sections of Wuse, Jabi and Lokogoma in 2019, as well as similar incidents in Lokogoma District, Efab Estate, Gudu axis and connecting bridges in 2022.
Olayinka said the flooding experienced on Saturday should therefore be viewed within the context of a rapidly expanding city whose infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with growth.
He said the FCT Administration was already taking steps to prevent future occurrences, including the ongoing review of the Abuja Master Plan.
“To address this, the FCT Administration is already reviewing the 1979 Abuja Master Plan to accommodate the new realities of the capital city,” he said.
The statement also identified the activities of scavengers who remove drainage covers as another factor contributing to drainage problems in the city.
According to Olayinka, the removal of drainage covers exposes the drainage system to refuse and can further obstruct the free flow of stormwater.
He disclosed that the administration was responding by deploying drainage covers designed to make them difficult for scavengers to remove.
The measures, he said, form part of broader efforts by the FCT Administration to address the infrastructure and planning challenges associated with flooding in Abuja.
Olayinka maintained that the flooding recorded after Saturday’s rainfall should serve as a reminder of the need to continually adapt the capital’s infrastructure and planning framework to its changing realities.