FCT Stakeholders Seek Review Of Abuja Master Plan, Urgent Action On Flooding

The FCT Stakeholders Forum for Development (FSTF), a coalition of landlords, business owners and investors in the Federal Capital Territory, has called for an urgent review of the Abuja Master Plan and decisive measures to address the recurring flooding in parts of the territory.

The group also passed a vote of confidence in the administration of the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, describing the infrastructure and governance reforms undertaken under his leadership as significant.

Chairman of the forum, Chief David Sabo Kente, made the call in Abuja during a press conference on the recent flooding in parts of the Federal Capital Territory.

Kente said the forum conducted an independent fact-finding assessment of some affected communities and 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.

He, however, noted that flooding in Abuja was not a new phenomenon and had occurred before the current administration.

“This is not a new problem. Abuja has recorded flooding incidents long before the current administration. The challenge predates Minister Wike,” he said.

According to him, the 1979 Abuja Master Plan had become outdated and no longer adequately reflected the demographic and infrastructural realities of the Federal Capital Territory, which now has a population of more than 3.5 million people.

“The 1979 Master Plan is outdated.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,” Kente said.

He acknowledged concerns over alleged encroachment on green areas, parks, drainage corridors, canals and waterways originally designed to support flood control and groundwater recharge.

Kente said the recent floods had submerged homes, disrupted livelihoods and cut off roads in some communities, stressing the need for urgent and coordinated intervention by relevant authorities.

The forum called on the FCT Administration to ensure that development projects followed due process to minimise 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.