Gov’t to revoke land allocations around Usuma Dam water plant

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), has disclosed advanced plans to revoke all land allocations within 2.4 kilometers distance around the water treatment plant in Usuma dam, around Ushafa area, in Bwari Area Council.
The Council explained that the move was aimed at protecting water resources in the territory from being contaminated.
Making this disclosure yesterday at a media parley, AMMC Coordinator, Umar Shuaibu said the Council observed that human activities, such as indiscriminate building and quarry works around the area were contaminating the dam which is the major source of portable water in the nation’s capital.
He said that residents were channelling solid and liquid waste disposal directly into Usuma dam water reservoir, making water unhealthy for consumption.
Stressing that there was no going back to the implementation of the policy, the AMMC Coordinator explained that affected owners of the land titles would be compensated.
“With the observed human activities such as indiscriminate building, quarry activities, solid and liquid waste disposal directly into the US Umar river, as well as agriculture activities (farming, fishing, and deforestation) around the Usuma dam reservoir.
“A committee was set up to investigate the prevalence of human activities threatening the FCT water Board Treatment plant and the quality of portable water for human consumption in the FCT and recommended measures for improvement.
“ After a detailed investigation and in line with international best practice, the committee proposed far reaching measures including, revocation and compensation of all titled plot allocations within the setback distance of 2.4k from FCT water Board Treatment Plant main gate to the Ushafa Bridge along the Dutse -Bwari road”, Shaibu said.