Residents of some parts of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are afraid that the recurrent flooding that has tormented and destroyed assets worth billions of naira in their areas may soon return with the usual fury, reports GBENGA OMOKHUNU
In the last seven years, parts of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have been severely battered by the scourge of flood, even as the experience will continue to remain a nightmare in the memories of affected residents for a long time. Floods are among the most devastating natural disasters in the world, claiming more lives and causing more property damages than any other natural phenomena. In recent times, flooding across Abuja has left both the government and the governed devastated.
While Abuja is just in the middle of the rainy season with heftier downpours still expected, victims, particularly those residing in some areas are already expressing fear of what to expect, flashing back their minds on the negative impact it has always had on them. These victims, who expressed worry about the devastating effects of flooding and the memories of sorrow it leaves in its wake, may be forced to pray to God to withhold the rains which are supposed to be showers of blessings.
Floods are naturally caused by a rise in temperature resulting in downpours of rain, glacier melt and thermal expansion of the ocean, subsequently causing a rise in sea levels and inundation of coastal lands. Climate change has been the major cause of these conditions globally.
Flood threatens sustainability because it negatively affects the economy, social life, environment, and health. It usually comes along with extensive negative effects that pose grievous dangers to the victims. It leads to loss of lives, destruction of houses and washing away of farmlands across the country, thereby leading to food shortage. Apart from that, health challenges attributed to flooding are also numerous. It has been a leading causal agent for the outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, cryptosporidiosis, rotavirus and typhoid. This is due to the fact that the floodwater came with lots of debris and pollutants which find their way into the water system and cause many diseases.
As this year’s rainy season gets serious, some families in Karu, Lokogoma, Galadimawa, Giri, Gwagwalada, Trade More Estate, and other parts of the capital city that were worst hit by flooding are still counting their losses and hoping that government will find a lasting solution to the menace. What some residents find very difficult to comprehend is why Galadimawa, which is a 15-minute drive away from the city centre, still floods anytime that there is slightly heavy rainfall.
Interestingly, despite the blame game that always ensues between the FCT authorities, developers, residents, and tenants in the wake of each round of flooding, not much has been done to stem the incessant loss of lives and property that have so far been recorded. Abuja Review’s finding reveals that up until now, images of flooded apartments, submerged vehicles, stranded commuters at heavily flooded neighborhoods being taken over by flood water, and even residents swimming across streets, still haunt some of the victims.
Causes of flood in Abuja
Investigations revealed that the first factor aggravating flooding is climate change, shown to contribute to more extreme storms and rainfall. Experts have however blamed 80 per cent of flooding in cities in Nigeria to rapid urban growth and poor planning, which has resulted in inadequate and poor housing, rapid emergence of slum areas and inadequate water supply and waste disposal, among other challenges.
Residents of Trademore Estate, Lugbe, a suburb of the FCT, are still counting their losses after they were held hostage for hours by a rampaging flood that overran the estate recently. The flood, occasioned by a downpour in Abuja, reportedly covered over 60 houses. A resident of the estate, Mr. Ibrahim Musa told Abuja Review that the impact of the flood last year was devastating. Musa said: “Our properties have been messed up, others have been lost. Surprisingly, we have environmental workers who burn dumping sites every two weeks, which is too long because the dustbins would have become too full.’’
But a waste disposal official, who simply gave his name as Moses, confided in our correspondent that some unscrupulous residents are part of the problem. “Some residents, who do not want to pay the waste disposal agency, usually dump their waste in the drainage. Some people still throw their waste anywhere they feel like and that is the reason we have so much waste on the road after the rains.”
Recently, the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FCT FEMA) rescued some residents of Emerald Flower estate, Lokogoma district and Maitama extension after a flood ravaged and submerged the communities a few weeks ago. Deputy director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation of the FCT FEMA, Florence Wenegieme, said the downpour, which lasted more than an hour, saw residents trapped in buildings and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
According to her, the flood that occurred around Emerald Flower estate was due to the obstruction caused by buildings erected on the waterways, thereby hindering the free flow of water. She said the problem of flooding around the area started three years ago due to bad construction of bridges and roads by estate developers. According to her, a similar experience was recorded at Maitama extension area of the FCT on the same day, where residents were trapped in a building due to a splash flood but got rescued by FEMA. She advised developers to ensure that roads and bridges are well constructed, adding that residents should stop dumping refuse in flowing water so as to avert a similar occurrence.
How to control recurrent flood
Mrs. Helen Ani, who resides at Alphonsus Ogbe Street, Area “A” Extension, Nyanya , behind NNPC filling station, expressed fear that if nothing is done to mitigate flooding, many houses and schools situated in the area may collapse if there is downpour this season. He lamented that despite the vigorous campaign by the government on the dangers of indiscriminate dumping of refuse, some residents were still engaging in such deplorable acts. Ani said, “Beyond the lamentation, the government should build a retention pond to assist in containing flooding in the Nyanya, especially the part housing the General Hospital, all the government secondary schools in Nyanya to serve as a reservoir for storm water at the peak of the rainy season.
She called for the consideration of an emergency control centre, automated weather stations, removal of solid waste from storm water drains and the development of emergency response mechanisms. She said Nigeria must invest in these measures and sustain them. Mrs. Ani suggested that those who also dispose of waste indiscriminately should be fined or punished to act as a deterrent to others who want to do the same. Her words: “Government has to resolve to be more stringent in the campaign against dumping of refuse in canals and drains and also be ready to scale up the application of physical planning laws against the erection of building on canals, drainage channels and water courses.”
Meanwhile, residents of Kubwa, Lugbe, Bwari and Kuje Area Councils have called for collaboration between the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Urban Planning and Physical Development in order to reduce the havoc caused by flooding. John Achakpa, who resides in Kubwa, explained that if the two government agencies embraced their suggestion of partnership, they can immediately remove structures that block drainages and consequently impede free flow of rainwater. On his part, Mr Ayo Ola, a civil servant who resides in Kuje, advised that monitoring and compliance with extant building laws was important just as information dissemination should be prioritised. He tasked the government at all levels to intensify efforts aimed at mitigating the damage done by floods across the nation’s capital.
Last year, the flooding strained economic activities in the Kwali Council Area following the substantial destruction to the 16-kilometer-long Ashara Bridge in the area. The Ashara Bridge is strategic as it provides access for people in over 100 communities particularly along the Lokoja-Abuja Road to carry out their commercial activities. On September 14 last year, two children in the Orozo Community in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) were drowned in the Orozo River, which had risen as a result of a heavy rainfall. They were among a group of 12 children that went to swim in the river. The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recovered one body and launched a search for the other. One of the survivors, Chinenye Uche, then said they were swimming when the rain began and flooded the river. She said 10 of them were rescued by some passers-by; while the remaining two were overpowered by the deluge. She gave the names of those drowned as Divine Favour (10) and Bobo Emmanuel (19).
The Director General of the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Alhaji Idriss Abass, who confirmed the incident, said when the agency was alerted, its search and rescue team responded and succeeded in recovering the corpse of Divine, a female, while the divers were still searching for the missing boy. Abass said that FEMA had hired local divers to swim across the Ozoro channel, further down to Nasarawa State until they recovered the body.
In another reported incident, two children were declared missing and one person swept away in the Kpaduma and Kpebi communities of Asokoro Extension in Abuja. The flooding, caused by a heavy downpour, damaged many houses along the bank of Godna stream and also resulted in the loss of many poultry animals. The name of the victim at the Kpebi Makaranta flooding incident is Uche, said to be in his 20s. He was said to have drowned while making frantic effort to salvage his asset and pigsty.
The incident was confirmed by the then FEMA spokesman, Emeka Iwuagwu. According to Iwuagwu, FEMA succeeded in recovering Uche’s corpse after a search team combed the water channels down to Gurudu and Karshi. Also last week, a middle-aged man was rescued in Abuja following a downpour early Wednesday morning in the Lokogoma District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The man (name withheld), after several efforts, was rescued by local divers. The incident has prompted the FCT administration to barricade the alternative road from games village to the airport and others within the FCT in order to save lives and property.
The FEMA boss, Idriss, while reacting to the flood which affected Dogongada in Lokogoma, Damangaza and Apo Dutse in Gudu Districts, appealed to residents to heed the early warnings issued by FEMA. The FEMA boss said: “The Search and Rescue Unit of the Forecasting Response and Mitigation of FEMA has rescued a resident from drowning at Dogongada in the early hours of today. The rescue followed a distress call on the 112 emergency toll free number at 5.25am.” He said the victim’s vehicle was totally submerged, leaving him trapped on the roof top of his car. “We will continue to educate residents as a government in the language they will understand. Motorists should avoid driving on running water, wait for five or more minutes for the water to subside before driving. Cross check before leaving homes or your work places to ensure that the road is safe.
“We are going to have a little above normal rainfall this year. Therefore, residents should be wary of the devastating effects of flooding. Residents should avoid building on waterways, water channels, raising retention walls, and ensure that the required 25 meters gap between your house and the water channels/roads are allowed for safety in accordance with the Abuja master plan. When you do this we will all be safe.”
