By Daniel Tyokua
The FCT Administration on Thursday demolished more houses built on water ways at Trademore Estate in Abuja, resulting incessant floodings in the area.
During the exercise over 30 houses were demolished with 70 more on the flood plain marked for demolition.
The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the minister, Ikharo Attah revealed that over 100 houses were marked but 30 houses have been removed.
According to him, “This is ongoing removal of illegal structures on the flood plain at the Trade more estate along airport road. This estate has been a theatre of flooding , there is very intensive flooding here and we have been engaging them for years and they have come to terms that this area is very dangerous to their lives, and the Minister of FCT Malam Muhammad Bello, has asked us to remove all illegal structures on the flood plain. And that is what the machine behind me is doing.
“There has been excessive development on the flood plain in Trademore Estate, this is very worrisome.
“All the houses that are going down were marked and some have been marked as long as three years ago, some were marked at foundation level, window level, roofing level. The final marking was about 4 days ago, and we gave them 48 hours and even gave them additional 24 hours”.
He continued, “For now 30 houses are going but over 100 were marked but we are still engaging critical stakeholders around there. After removing the first 30 houses, we will engage with them we look at how we can use land solution act to find solution”
“Like what some of them are saying that the Developer of Trademore Estate should be charge to court , they have the locus standing to take him to court.
“We are very keen in getting the structures out so that water can pass and lives will be saved in the city”.
