Abuja Flood: FCTA Blames Urban Growth, Blocked Drains

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has attributed the flooding that followed Saturday’s heavy rainfall in parts of Abuja to rapid urban expansion, inadequate drainage infrastructure, poor waste disposal and violations of planning regulations.

The administration also rejected claims that the flooding was caused by the current administration under FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, arguing that similar incidents predate his tenure.

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, stated this on Monday while responding to criticism over the flooding.

He said Abuja had experienced similar floods before Wike became minister, citing incidents in 2019 that affected Wuse, Jabi and Lokogoma, as well as flooding in 2022 in Lokogoma District, Efab Estate, the Gudu axis and adjoining bridges.

According to Olayinka, the latest flooding reflects long-standing challenges facing a rapidly growing city.

“The flood witnessed last Saturday was another reminder of the seasonal reality of a rapidly expanding city with drainage infrastructure, waste management and enforcement of planning rules not keeping pace with growth,” he said.

Olayinka also blamed the activities of scavengers, alleging that they regularly remove drainage covers, leaving channels exposed to refuse and blockages that worsen flooding.

He said the FCTA was reviewing the 1979 Abuja Master Plan to reflect current realities and had begun deploying drainage covers designed to make them more difficult to steal.

The administration said the measures are intended to reduce flooding and address weaknesses in the city’s drainage infrastructure.