Residents of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) recently suffered losses caused by the early flooding in several parts of Abuja. CALEB ONWE reports
They were not just rattled by what they have seen but were living in fear of greater uncertainties in the coming days. They are afraid that if the early rains could herald such destructive flooding that caused death and losses of property, there may be greater danger ahead as the rains increase.
Many residents of Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory are yet to recover from the destruction that followed the recent rainstorm and flooding that hit their neighbourhood.
The heavy downpour wreaked havoc on homes, roads, public building and other facilities. A disaster was averted in Government Secondary School Bwari, a co-educational boarding facility in the locality.
It was said that had the students of the school not gone on Sallah break, a collossal human casualty would have been recorded there given the impact of the flood on the school.
The rainstorm shattered the student’s hostel, reducing it to a heap of rubbish.
Principal of the school, Dr. (Mrs.) Favour Edem, who was joyous that no life was lost to the ‘evil’ wind, appealed to the education board to hasten the repair work to enable students have a place to stay.
Edem said the school authorities were trying to rebuild the female hostel fence before the students returned. She lamented that the broken fence has exposed the school to danger. Even with the perimeter fence intact, she said that students try to go out without permission, adding that regulating their movement would become impossible with the broken down fence.
In addition to the fence, the roofs of about three hostels were completely blown off. The wreckage of the hostels were yet to be evacuated except wet mattresses that were brought out just that they can dry before the students return.
As the time of our visit, electricity supply to the school had not been restored as electricity poles were broken with naked wires sighted lying on the ground. Some trees that would have served as wind breakers were also broken in pieces while some were uprooted by the wind.
Part of the perimeter fence of the school was equally brought down, leaving the school susceptible to other elements and putting safety of students in jeopardy.
The fence of the female hostel section too was completely broken down.
Yahaya Mohammed, Chairman, FCT Education Board, in company with Chief Sunny Monedafe, member of FCT Education Board were on ground for an on- the-spot assessment.
Chairman of the Board said they have witnessed the situation, which he described as an emergency situation and that they would do all within their capacity to remedy the situation. He said they would as a matter of urgency roll out tree planting campaign in FCT schools to mitigate the effects of storms and prevent further occurrence.
He assured the school that the Board would be proactive in their response and fix the challenges in good time. He however hoped that administrative bottlenecks would not delay their response.
In the Lokogoma District of the nation’s capital, the residents seemed to be more ruffled than other residents because the flooding in the area had always claimed lives, throwing families and loved ones into perpetual sorrow.
The district, said to host a cluster of over 50 mega private estates, has always had a bitter taste of the flooding.
In July 2017, the flooding which came like a thief in the night swept away a family of three, as a father was taking his two kids to school.
The death of a man, his daughter and son is yet to be erased from the minds of other residents. Almost 23 months after, unpredictable flooding has visited the area again , taking away a 17-year-old boy.
While the parents of the 17-year-old victim of the June 6, 2019, flooding are yet to recover from the trauma of the tragic loss to give details of the occurrence, other concerned residents are beginning to kick.
Their grudges and pains are that relevant authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration are just waking up from sleep with a revelation that the flooding in the area has been destructive because most of the estates in there were developed on water ways.
As they remained in mourning mood over the loss of lives and property in the estates, they are also panicky and worried as they have been informed that many of the buildings may have to be demolished if a lasting solution to the perennial flooding must be proffered.
Inside Abuja gathered that a Ministerial Committee set up by FCT administration to look into the Lokogoma flooding had established that some developers in the district diverted the natural course of River Kabusa and also constricted the River of Wumba located around the environs.
Dr. Joseph Nnorom, the Chairman of Lokogoma Property Owners and Residents Association, was not just distraught that the district had lost human lives to the flooding but is also displeased that property that were developed with life savings of people may be demolished.
Nnorom, who wants government officials who approved that houses be built on water ways punished, also demanded that adequate compensation plan be put in place for residents who may be affected by the demolition.
“I have heard that some houses have to be pulled down. The issue of compensation has to be put on the front burner. We need to understand how those people are going to be compensated.
“If it is established that the owners of the houses did not build with government’s approval, then the government and developers have to prove that. Otherwise, we will be punishing off-takers who probably have invested their pension. Off takers deserve not to lose their property without compensation “, Nnorom said.
While the affected residents are battling with the psychological trauma of losing their homes unexpectedly, FCT authorities are adamantly stuck to the idea of demolishing the buildings on water ways.
Director, Department of Engineering Services, FCDA, Engr. Ahmed Shehu Hadi, who confirmed that a 17-year-old boy was killed by the flood, also insisted that the buildings on the water ways must be pulled down.
Hadi said: “The crisis at Lokogoma is a recurring issue. It was an issue that occurred in the later part of 2017, but from the period we had the flooding, the Permanent Secretary (Sir. Christian Ohaa) led a team, including the Executive Secretary, FCDA (Engr. Umar Gambo Jibrin) to the spots and what we noticed on ground, majorly was that property were being developed on waterways, which has constricted two major rivers of Wamba and Kabusa, which the residents’ association has been taking up on these issues.
“The FCTA has been determined on resolving these issues. There are two major issues that confronted us on Lokogoma. Lokogoma and its entire mass housing estates was cut off from ring Road II, and then the issue of flooding. But first, the district must be accessed in and out. We had mobilised one of our major contractors to go and carry out emergency work to restore the major access into Lokogoma, because that is an arterial road -the like of Ahmadu Bello Way.
“The other portion, the FCTA has a problem is that of encroachment. We have to take a decision. Water must have either course -it is a wise saying and it is also an engineering position.
“And if there are developments constricting water ways, it is only a matter of time; it will definitely find its way, and that is even worsening by the position of the two major rivers, converging at a confluence point, turning into one waterway, which also affected a second location and if effort is not made to remove all the constrictions and diversion of the streams to restore the natural water course.
“What we saw on sites are buildings clearly submerging along the water courses. We got Development Control department to mark out these illegal structures and to engage the residents to accept whether we have to allow these properties for which the authorities have an obligation to see to the protection of the FCT residents and for this, we have to remove this property. At least, above any personal interest, so that the larger neighbourhood in Lokogoma estate can remain safer and that is what we are trying to do”, Hadi said.
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