Flood: FCTA raises alarm over invasion of green areas at Apo-Gudu

Stories by Stanley Onyekwere

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through its Department of Development Control (DDC) has raised alarm over the alleged invasion of natural waterways and other green areas at Apo Zone E, in Gudu District of Abuja.
This, the FCTA said is exposing the area to flooding and other environmental disaster, thereby threatening lives and property there.
To this end, FCTA officials accompanied by a joint security personnel stormed and halted ongoing illegal developments and activities at three sites behind Zone E, Apo Legislative Quarters, in the area.
Speaking during the exercise, Director of the DDC, Mukhtar Galadima, said allowing unapproved structures to be springing up in the city would lead to devastating erosion that will result to deadly flood.
Galadima said the removal exercise was carried out on the sideline of its weekly inspection of ongoing developments in the Federal Capital City ( FCC).
He explained that records available showed that all the structures and activities didn’t have approval.
He noted that most of the structures were built without the consent of government, describing it as distortion of the master plan.
According to him, they we will continue to monitor developments in the area, and anybody that refuse to stop work will be arrested.
“During our normal weekly inspection today at Apo zone E, Gudu District, we discovered strange developments in the area, and we have stopped the work.
“We will continue to monitor developments, anybody that refuse to stop work will be arrested.
“Most of the buildings are on green areas and water channels, they can’t be allowed to stand. Others that have been completed will also be pulled down, if the illegality is allowed it will cause erosion and flood, this will be dangerous”
Similarly, the director FCTA Parks and Recreation Department, Chinemelu Echee, said the administration will stop at nothing to reclaim green areas converted to other uses in the city.
He decried cutting of trees that government had planted for over thirty years by those carrying out illegal development, saying such act most be stopped.
Echee said the administration was committed to mitigating climate change in line with the global warming.
He explained that all parks discovered to be operating without genuine approval would not be allowed to stand.