The Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office, Mr. Shehu Ibrahim, says the Federal Government is planning a holistic approach to end the flooding menace in the Trademore Mega-City Estate and its environs.
Ibrahim said this in a statement issued after an on-the-spot assessment tour of the flood-ravaged Abuja estate and its environs.
In a statement made available to journalists by the EPO, Ibrahim said the tour was to enable the office to put up a comprehensive report for the government’s further action.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a flooding incident which occurred on Friday, wreaked havoc on the estate located along Airport Road.
Ibrahim decried the level of devastation caused by the flood and noted that the problem was beyond the capacity of just one agency of the government.
He said addressing the challenge would require collaboration with sister agencies to come up with a comprehensive plan of intervention.
“From our own assessment, two factors are responsible for the flood – human and natural factors. It is something that is beyond the capacity of one agency, so we are looking at areas where we need to come in and intervene and will liaise with other sister government agencies.
“Agencies like the Federal Capital Development Agency (FCDA), Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Federal Ministry of Environment must work together.
“We must come up with a comprehensive plan to see how we can address this issue to avoid a future occurrence,” he said.
Ibrahim, who said the natural factor resulted from the rainy season, blamed the human factor on a compromise by the developers, as well as indiscriminate dumping of refuse on waterways by residents.
He advised that crucial steps be taken towards proper sanitation and attitudinal change.
“The assessment tour is part of the Federal Government’s proactive efforts to hasten the provision of a lasting solution to flooding in the area.
“Government will do its best to intervene on ecological issues and also send officers to go around to assess other affected areas. Government cannot sit down and allow things like this to happen,” Ibrahim said.
(NAN)
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