FCDA blames illegal construction, refuse dumping and vandalism for blocked waterways as desilting begins across the capital…..
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has launched a city-wide drainage clearance exercise to improve water flow and reduce the risk of further flooding following heavy rainfall in parts of Abuja.
The operation, which includes the removal of accumulated silt and debris from drainage channels, followed a flash flood that temporarily overwhelmed the Airport Expressway on Tuesday.
Inspecting the ongoing work along the expressway on Thursday, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Richard Dauda, said the exercise was ordered by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Dauda said the intervention was aimed at strengthening the city’s drainage network as the rainy season reaches its peak.
He explained that the recent heavy rainfall was consistent with earlier weather warnings and broader climate change patterns, adding that the Abuja Master Plan had already identified some locations, including the Airport Expressway corridor, as flood-prone areas.
According to him, the city’s drainage infrastructure was originally designed to accommodate substantial volumes of stormwater, but human activities have increasingly reduced its effectiveness.
“Some of these drainage facilities over time have been silted. Part of the cause is residents dumping refuse into drainage channels.
“When rain falls, it washes down polythene bags, waste, and even large objects that block the outlets,” he said.
The FCDA acting chief identified illegal developments and infrastructure vandalism as two major factors worsening flooding in the capital.
At one of the affected points along the expressway, Dauda identified a triple-cell box culvert designed to carry a large volume of water from the Galadima Roundabout.
He said the drainage system had been constricted further downstream after a private developer allegedly built retaining walls to extend a personal property into the waterway.
“What that causes is that the volume of water that ought to pass no longer passes, causing detention, backflow, and eventual flooding.
“To restore adequate discharge capacity, we must remove the structures built by this developer,” he said.
Dauda also raised concerns over the theft of metal covers protecting gully inlets, explaining that their removal allows refuse and other large debris to enter underground drainage systems unchecked.
“When vandals steal these covers, it’s like stealing from yourself as a taxpayer,” he remarked.
To address the recurring theft, he said the FCDA was considering alternative materials that cannot be recycled, instead of steel and cast iron, for the replacement of the covers.
He confirmed that desilting work was already underway on trapezoidal drains, U-channels and culvert outlets along the Airport Expressway, with damaged sections scheduled for reconstruction where required.
Dauda appealed to residents to support the government’s flood-control efforts by keeping drainage channels and waterways free of waste.
He warned that the effectiveness of the city’s flood-management infrastructure ultimately depends on residents taking responsibility for protecting and maintaining the drainage network.
