…..Declared estate a disaster area
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has taken steps to address the incessant flooding at the Trademore Estate in the Lugbe area of the FCT.
Speaking during an assessment visit to the Trademore Estate in Abuja on Tuesday to ascertain the extent of damage caused by the recent flood that impacted the area, the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola disclosed that adequate steps would be taken to forestall further damages to properties and loss of lives as a result of flooding at the Estate.
The Permanent Secretary who stated that the Trademore Estate has been designated as a disaster area, said a Taskforce on Flood Mitigation in the FCT comprising of heads of relevant agencies under the FCT Administration will immediately assess the situation at the Estate and make recommendations for remedial actions.
According to him, “Having seen the extent of the flooding, we are of the opinion and we hereby declare the Trademore area a disaster zone that needs immediate action to remedy further damages and loss of lives and properties.
“The (FCDA) Executive Secretary who chairs the taskforce on flood mitigation in the FCT, the Commissioner of Police and other officials of the FCT particularly the FEMA, Development Control and the AEPB are all here. They saw what we saw and they are now ready to go and evolve solutions that will immediately address the situation.”
The Permanent Secretary who expressed shock at the level of flooding at the Trademore Estate also decried a situation where development activities were being done in flood prone areas at the Estate with serious consequences to lives and properties.
The Permanent Secretary equally wondered why people would return to the affected properties, barely a few days after the latest flooding disaster despite the dangers of further similar incidents, vowing that the FCT Administration will not allow the situation to continue.
He said, “We were quite amazed at the level of flooding that occurred there (Trademore). More particularly is the risk that people took to build on such a low-level plain. While on the road, you will see that even the roof of some houses are below the road level, which ab initio made them vulnerable to flooding”.
He assured that the taskforce will immediately swing into action to evolve strategies and make recommendations for attention that must be given to the area, adding that the FCT Administration will do everything possible within its powers to contain the ugly situation.
“For the rest of the year, prediction shows that there might still be more heavy rains, which means the damages and casualties could be there and we have to prevent this. The FCT will do everything possible within its powers to ensure that we mitigate such reoccurrence”, the Permanent Secretary said.
The Permanent Secretary was accompanied on the visit by the Executive Secretary FCDA, Engr. Shehu Ahmad Hadi, the Director Development Control, Town planner Mukhtar Galadima, the FCT Commissioner of Police CP Garba Haruna and other senior officials of the FCTA.
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