The FCT Stakeholders Forum for Development (FSTF), a coalition of landlords, business owners and investors in the Federal Capital Territory, has defended the administration of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, over the recent flooding in parts of Abuja, saying the challenge predates the current administration.
The group, however, called for an urgent review of the 1979 Abuja Master Plan, arguing that the document no longer reflects the demographic, environmental and infrastructural realities of the nation’s capital.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Chairman of the FSTF, Chief David Sabo Kente, said the forum conducted an independent fact-finding assessment of areas affected by the recent floods.
He said while heavy rainfall had exposed the vulnerability of several communities, attributing the entire crisis to the current administration would be misleading.
According to him, Abuja had experienced flooding long before Wike assumed office as FCT Minister, adding that rapid urbanisation and other human activities had worsened the situation.
Kente said, “This is not a new problem. Abuja has recorded flooding incidents long before the current administration. The challenge predates Minister Nyesom Wike.”
He identified rapid urban expansion, indiscriminate dumping of refuse and the removal of drainage covers by scavengers as some of the factors contributing to blocked waterways and worsening floods across the territory.
The stakeholders also faulted the continued reliance on the 1979 Master Plan, saying the plan was designed for a significantly smaller population and could no longer adequately guide development in a capital city with more than 3.5 million residents.
“The 1979 Master Plan is outdated. The document that guides development in the FCT no longer reflects the demographic and infrastructural realities of a capital city of over 3.5 million people. It requires urgent review and modernisation,” the group said.
The forum nevertheless passed a vote of confidence in Wike, citing what it described as the unprecedented scale of infrastructure development undertaken across the FCT since he assumed office.
Kente listed the construction and expansion of roads, flyovers and carriageways, as well as the rehabilitation of public schools, provision of patrol vehicles to security agencies, construction of bus terminals and expansion of rural healthcare facilities among the achievements of the administration.
He described Wike as “Mr Project,” saying his administration had turned the FCT into a major construction zone aimed at improving infrastructure and unlocking the commercial and social potential of the capital.
The stakeholders, however, urged the minister to take immediate steps to address the flooding crisis, stressing that infrastructure development must go hand in hand with effective environmental management and adherence to planning regulations.
They called for the immediate desilting of drainage channels, stronger enforcement against encroachment on waterways and other protected areas, as well as a comprehensive review of the Abuja Master Plan.
The group urged the FCT Administration to ensure that development projects complied with due process, warning that the pursuit of infrastructure and urban renewal should not unnecessarily impose hardship on residents.
“We believe that with political will, stakeholder collaboration and proper planning, Abuja can become both a model capital and a flood-resilient city,” Kente said.
, a coalition of landlords, business owners and investors in the Federal Capital Territory, has defended the administration of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, over the recent flooding in parts of Abuja){kind=link}