Flooding: Wike suspends FCTA director over illegal approvals on green areas

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that a director within the Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA has been suspended under civil service rules for issuing unauthorised “temporary approvals” to commercial operators on designated green zones.

According him, his administration has intensified enforcement against violations linked to the recent flooding along the Airport Road axis and Lokogoma District.

Speaking during a media chat on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital, Wike revealed that beyond structural enforcement, the FCTA is also taking stern administrative action against officials within the administration who facilitate illegal encroachments into green areas and waterways.

He disclosed that another official also faced disciplinary sanctions for illegally reallocating park lands under the guise of security clearing.

The disclosure came as the minister confirmed that a high-level task force led by the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA and the Director of Development Control was immediately dispatched to conduct on-the-ground assessments across communities affected by the flooding, including Lugbe and Lokogoma.

“When I heard of the incident, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA and the Director, Development Control had to go to the place, not only at the airport road but also in Lokogoma. The one that is man-made, we can solve the problem; the one that is natural, there is nothing we can do—it becomes a natural disaster. So, it’s something that we have to investigate”, he said.

While acknowledging that recent torrential downpour in the nation’s capital had reached unprecedented levels, Wike stressed that preliminary findings point to long-standing violations of the FCT masterplan, where structures have been erected across natural waterways and designated road corridors without valid approvals.

He vowed that the administration would take all necessary steps to correct abuse of the Abuja masterplan along the Airport Road axis and would not hesitate to bring down any structure found along waterways.

“From our studies, Lugbe has always been violating the Abuja masterplan… All over the years, you see people building without approval and blocking where is supposed to be a roadway. As an administration, we are not taking it lightly,” he said.

On allegations that some of the structures marked for demolition held prior government approvals, the Minister reiterated that illegal approvals obtained through undue influence would not serve as a shield against enforcement.

“You got approval to do something wrong, sometimes, it’s under influence. Government policy is that nobody should do anything on green areas. Now you go with the spirit that nothing will happen, and then when we come to enforce, you say you have approval. It is not going to be accepted,” he clarified.