Flooding: FCDA moves to clear blocked waterways

By Stanley Onyekwere

Heavy downpours across the Federal Capital Territory have triggered flash flooding along major corridors, prompting the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to initiate city-wide desilting operations and infrastructure maintenance on the direct orders of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Inspecting affected sites along the Airport Expressway, on Thursday,  the Acting Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engineer Richard Dauda, clarified that while Abuja’s Master Plan acknowledges certain areas as natural floodplains, the city’s existing drainage infrastructure is structurally resilient and fully capable of handling torrential rains.

He however noted that human factors specifically widespread refuse dumping, illegal property developments, and widespread vandalism have severely compromised the system’s capacity.

“Part of the cause of this siltation is residents dumping refuse directly into drainage channels,” Dauda stated during the field inspection.

“When rain falls, it washes down polythene bags, household waste, and large objects.

“Once these reach the outlets, they block the flow, causing water detention, backflow, and eventual flooding over the expressways,” he stated.

Beyond waste disposal, the FCDA boss identified illegal structural encroachment as a primary cause of severe backflow.

Pointing to a triple-cell box culvert measuring 3 meters by 3 meters designed to discharge high-volume runoff from the Galadima Roundabout stream under the Airport Expressway, Dauda revealed that a private developer downstream had constricted the natural channel.

“In a bid to acquire more land, a developer constructed retaining walls that narrowed the waterway.

“The volume of water that ought to pass no longer can, causing severe detention and overflow.

“The Minister has directed that this illegal structure be removed immediately to restore the stream’s full discharge width,” Dauda disclosed.

The FCDA chief also decried the ongoing theft of metal gully inlet covers across the capital.

It was gathered that facilities designed to filter debris before water enters underground drains, the stolen cast-iron and steel covers leave open channels exposed to heavy silt and trash.

Also, emergency maintenance crews have already been deployed across the city to clear trapezoidal drains, U-channels, and culvert outlets along major arterial roads.

In response, the FCDA said it is transitioning to non-recyclable alternative materials for replacement covers to deter thieves.

Dauda urged residents to take responsibility for public infrastructure, warning that improper waste disposal directly endangers the city’s safety and flood resilience.