Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office, Malam Shehu Ibrahim has visited victims of the recent flooding in Trademore Mega-City Estate and its environs, Federal Capital Territory, with a pledge that the Federal Government will deploy a holistic approach to tackle the menace.
One life was lost in the flooding that ravaged Trademore Estate and its environs on Monday, 26th June , 2023.
The Permanent Secretary said the assessment tour is to enable the office put up a comprehensive report for government’s further action
He advocated collaboration of different government agencies to tackle the perennial flooding in the Estate and console the victims over their losses.
“From our own assessment, what we have seen so far, you can see it’s a consideration of two factors: human and natural factors. It is something that we have to go beyond one agency, so we look at areas we need to come in and intervene and will liaise with other sister government agencies like FCDA, FERMA, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Federal Ministry of Environment and then come up with a comprehensive plan to see how we can address this issue and avoid future occurrence”.
The Permanent Secretary explained that while the natural factor is as a result of the rainy season, the human factor he said is caused by developers who compromise standards as well as residents’ indiscriminate dumping of refuse on water ways. He added that proper sensitization on change of attitude is crucial.
Malam Ibrahim also
disclosed that the assessment tour was part of the Federal Government’s proactive efforts to hasten the provision of a lasting solution to the flooding in the area. He assured that government will do its best to intervene on ecological issues and also send officers to go round to assess other areas affected. He said, “government cannot sit down and allow things like this to happen”.
Chairman of Trademore Phase 3, Residents Association, Dr Adewale Adenike said the estate’s flooding issue is not caused entirely from Trademore but that the Estate is just a corridor for the flooding which emanates from Lokogoma, Pykassa and others adjoining communities around the estate.
While noting that government may not have envisaged the present magnitude of devastation at the initial stage of designing the estate, however believes that it must employ a scientific approach in solving it such as a proper channelization of all the arteries and tributaries which need to be widened and deepened and properly controlled in addition to the construction of a bridge around the estate
