Kuje, Gwagwalada risk flood catastrophe, FCTA warns

Worried by the prediction of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NMA) over a possible flooding in parts of the country, saddled with the responsibility of weather prediction, the FCT Emergency Management Agency has raised the alarm that three area councils in the FCT stands the risk of experiencing flooding as back lash from neighbouring states.

Arising from an emergency humanitarian coordination meeting on the impending flood alert held in Abuja yesterday, the FCT Emergency Management Agency boss, Alhaji Abbas Idris, stated that “though the FCT was not mentioned among the likely states to be affected, past experience suggests that spill over from neighbouring states like Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Plateau, coupled with unwholesome environmental practices, especially indiscriminate waste disposal and blockade of water ways could put the FCT on the same danger spot with others.”

Ahaji Idris said that communities in Kuje, Bwari and Gwagalada area councils should be on red alert as they are “sending strong signals to dwellers within the flood plains to relocate immediately to safer and higher grounds.”

He therefore, called on stakeholders to immediately activate emergency response plans in readiness and do all within the limits of resources to ensure that the FCT is not overwhelmed by direct or indirect impact of the impending flood.

In his contribution, Engr. Umar Bashir of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources said communities in Kuje and Bwari could be flooded as rivers in Kogi and Nasarawa states get overwhelmed. Kubwa in Bwari Area Council would be prone to flooding because of indiscriminate dumping of refuse on water ways and building on water ways due to improper planning.

He called on the FCTA to replicate the ‘Jabi Lake’ initiative in other area councils as it helps to take volumes of water spill over from other rivers that overflow into the FCT and help mitigate flooding, apart from agricultural purposes.

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Several stakeholders, including the military, the Police, par military organisations, health services among others were in attendance.