Expert wants Wike to address imminent water shortage in FCT

A water expert, Aliyu Abubakar, has called on the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to address imminent water supply shortage being experienced by the residents in order to avert scarcity.

Abubakar, who made the call while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, said some challenges facing the FCT Water Board has to do mainly with the water treatment plant.

According to him, this is at risk of shutting down over shortage of chemicals needed to treat the raw water supplied from Gurara to Lower Usuma Dam, located in Ushafa, Bwari Area Council of the FCT.

He said the actual non transfer of raw water from Gurara Dam, which hitherto had been done on a monthly basis, has dwindled to once a year.

“Since October 2025 there has been no transfer of potable water, therefore in terms of volume of water, the dam is currently operating at half its capacity”.

“Another tragedy is that water from the Lower Usuma Dam that is meant for the water treatment plants, which are integral to the production and distribution of potable water across Abuja and its environs, is currently being diverted by the SCC Nigeria Limited, thus reducing the plants required capacity”.

Abubakar, who also demanded for regular electricity supply for the FCT Water Board, disclosed that the board had been powering its turbines at the Lower Usuma Dam with two diesel-powered generators.

“These generators cannot effectively power the turbines, one of which has already packed up, thus reducing the production of potable water to less than 40 per cent presently.”

The expert therefore appealed to the FCT minister to address the problem since water supply is an important part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and adequate water supply is as essential as good roads.