Onoh calls for investigation, Action in Abuja flood menace (VIDEO)

Onoh calls for investigation, Action in Abuja flood menace (VIDEO)

Former South-East spokesman for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has called for an independent investigation into the recurring flooding in Abuja.

Onoh urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Senator representing FCT, Ireti Kingibe, to look beyond political disagreements and address the underlying planning and land-use failures.

Onoh, who served twice as Chairman of the Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), said the recent flooding should trigger a comprehensive review of Abuja’s urban planning, drainage systems, land allocations and building approvals.

He said Abuja was originally designed with drainage corridors, waterways, floodplains, green areas and environmental buffers to manage stormwater, but rapid urbanisation, encroachment and weak enforcement had undermined the system.

“The argument over whether Wike or Kingibe is right is secondary. The fundamental question is: who approved these buildings on waterways, floodplains and drainage corridors, and who allowed them to remain there?” Onoh asked.

He said while demolition of structures obstructing waterways may be necessary, it should not end the process, insisting that officials who approved illegal developments must also be held accountable.

Onoh’s comments followed Kingibe’s criticism of the FCT Administration over alleged failures to address blocked drainage channels and developments on green areas, floodplains and waterways.

Wike, however, has rejected responsibility for the flooding, blaming illegal construction on waterways, indiscriminate dumping of refuse and climate change.

Onoh said both arguments contained valid concerns but cautioned against reducing the crisis to a political blame game.

“Climate change does not issue building approvals. Climate change does not allocate land on waterways. Those are human decisions, and where human decisions create avoidable risks, there must be accountability,” he said.

He called for an independent flood-risk audit involving hydrologists, environmental experts, urban planners and engineers. The exercise, he said, should identify floodplains, waterways and drainage corridors and review land allocations and building approvals in vulnerable areas.

Onoh also urged the FCT Administration to clear blocked drainage channels, protect remaining green spaces and floodplains, modernise drainage infrastructure, strengthen waste management and develop a long-term flood resilience plan based on scientific flood modelling.

“Abuja cannot continue to expand without expanding its drainage and environmental protection systems. The time has come to move from blame to solutions, from demolition to accountability, and from emergency response to proper long-term planning,” Onoh said.

WATCH THE LAST MONDAY FLOOD MENACE IN ABUJA IN THE LINK BELOW 👇 

https://youtube.com/shorts/lcjMVUtti30?si=I-kns9vhETuuHKiD