The Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, has dismissed criticism of the administration over flooding in parts of Abuja following heavy rainfall on Saturday.
Olayinka said flooding has been a recurring challenge in Abuja long before Wike assumed office.
Olayinka said the recent flooding affected some areas of the capital but later receded.
He said the FCT Administration was taking steps to prevent a recurrence, adding that it was misleading to blame Wike for the flooding.
Olayinka cited previous flooding incidents in parts of Abuja in 2019 and 2022.
He said the latest incident highlights the challenges created by Abuja’s rapid expansion, particularly pressure on drainage infrastructure, waste management and enforcement of planning regulations.
Olayinka also blamed scavengers who allegedly remove drainage covers, exposing drains to refuse and obstruction.
He said the FCT Administration was reviewing the 1979 Abuja Master Plan to reflect the city’s changing needs and was deploying drainage covers that would be more difficult to remove.
He maintained that the flooding should be viewed as part of Abuja’s broader urban development challenges rather than blamed solely on the current FCT Administration.QT Places Error: the selected post type doesn't exists or is not active in the plugin settings.
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