*Heavens Will Not Fall, Minister Says
*’I Took Loan To Build Mine, With Approval During Era Of A Past FCT Minister; How Can Wike Do This? But I’m Worried’
By Felix Durumbah, Abuja
The telephone lines of Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, should by now be busier than usual as
palpable fear has gripped several politicians in the country who own choice properties in Abuja, the nation’s capital, following the Minister’s threat today to immediately demolish any properties belonging to them, but wrongly erected on water channels.
The measure seeks to stem flooding which has devastated parts of the Federal Capital City (FCC) as the rainy season peaks, with the destructions sparking growing public outrage against the government.
Fuming, the tough-talking Minister said the heavens will not fall over his intended demolitions, pointing out that rather “heaven will be at peace that the right thing has been done.”
His words: “Any house that fell on the water channel will go down… We will demolish all those houses found on the water channel.
“Some of them are owned by Senators and big men… Whether there is election or no election, all those houses will go down.
“Heaven will not fall, rather heaven will be at peace that the right thing has been done.”
The threat to pull down houses was issued following an on-the-ground assessment visit to flood-affected areas in the Maitama District of Abuja, according to a press release by Rabi Musa Umar, Deputy Director, Press, Office of the Minister, and made available to People&Politics.
Addressing journalists after the inspection, the Minister emphasized that FCT Administration (FCTA) will not tolerate actions that compromise the safety of residents or breach the Abuja Master Plan, regardless of the status of the property owners involved.
He directed the FCT Department of Development Control to immediately identify and dismantle all illegal structures obstructing natural water passages without delay, stressing that exceptions will not be made for high profile individuals.
“I’m going to bring those structures down. Any house that fell on the water channel will go down. From today till Saturday, if the Development Control like, let them find any excuse to run away, they cannot. Thank God the Director, Development Control, is here because if you are running away to find excuses, you can’t. We will demolish all those houses found on the water channel”, the Minister restated.
People&Politics reached some senators and others known to own choice properties in Abuja, and the general reaction was a feeling of scare, with two saying they will try and contact the Minister “for further clarification.”
“For me, I will reach him and understand exactly what the Minister means by houses on water channels. It is this same FCTA, though not under his watch,that gave me the requisite approvals to go ahead and build. How do you turn around now and say you want to demolish?”, a lawmaker of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) wondered.
“This is a serious matter. I’m worried. I took loans to build my house and I have all necessary papers and approvals. But, like I said, I’ll try and reach the Minister immediately because he has his own way of doing things; once he says “immediately “, he will act as he says,” the lawmaker added.
Wike reiterated that FCTA was committed to correcting long-standing structural violations, emphasizing that previous inaction by past administrations will not prevent necessary corrective actions today.
“Fortunately, we have gone there and we have seen how people blocked water channels, where, in the Master Plan, water is supposed to be channeled, believing that nothing will happen.
“That nothing happened yesterday does not mean that something will not happen today or tomorrow. Thank God the flood has come, it has drawn our attention to the place, now something will happen”, the Minister warned.
Desilting Of Blocked Drainages Kicks Off Immediately, Minister Says
In addition to the demolition exercise, the Minister disclosed that the FCTA is initiating immediate facility management operations to desilt blocked drainages across affected districts as well as advance key infrastructure projects, such as the Lokogoma road project, to improve flood resilience.
Acknowledging climate change and heavy rainfall as part of the global reality responsible for flooding, the Minister identified key man-made factors driving localized flooding as including illegal construction on drainage routes, failure of officials to enforce building codes, and improper waste disposal blocking manholes and drainages.
He called on FCT residents and stakeholders to exercise civic responsibility, urging the public to support ongoing urban renewal efforts and adopt proper waste disposal habits to maintain clean, safe, and functioning drainage systems across the Territory.
FCT Senator Kingibe’s Accusation
Turning to allegations by Senator representing FCT, Sen. Ireti Kingibe, that the rash of construction works initiated by the Minister who allegedly allocated land for estate development indiscriminately as the causative factor for flooding, the Minister categorically denied the claim.
Without mentioning names, the Minister, who is publicly known to be in a no love lost relationship with Sen. Kingibe, challenged anyone making such claims to provide proof.
He said: “I don’t want to reply to political commentators. If that politician is bold enough, why not say ‘it was allocated to Mr. A and it’s a water channel area and it’s now being used as an estate’?
“You don’t just make blanket statements. You cannot determine which area is the water channel to the FCT. You don’t know the Master Plan more than us. You just sit in your place and say ‘this is a water channel’.
“How can somebody allocate a water channel to somebody to build? You think that those who work in FCTA are morons and they don’t know what they are doing?
“So, I want to categorically deny the claim that this Administration allocates water channels for people to develop.”
*PHOTO CAPTION: L-R: FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike; Acting Executive Secretary, FCDA, Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda; and the Director, FCT Department of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, during the Minister’s assessment visit of areas affected by flooding in the Maitama District of Abuja, …Tuesday.
