By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has revisited Usuma District MasterPlan to address the issue of over population to prevent it from contributing to contamination of the Usuma Dam, a vital source of water in the nation’s capital.
Director of the Department of Development Control, Tpl. Mukhtar Galadima, who led a joint inspection team from the Department of Development Control, in collaboration with physical planning, engineering, and environmental management agencies, visited the area to assess the risk posed by encroaching developments around the dam.
Tpl.Galadima, emphasized the urgency of reviewing the district’s layout to safeguard the dam.
“There were concerns raised by different stakeholders regarding development around Usuma Dam. We had to bring everyone here to witness the situation firsthand.”
He warned of imminent development pressure which poses a future threat.
“You may think the threat is decades away, but we could begin to see development behind the dam within two years. We must act now to protect this critical water body”, Galadima added.
He called on relevant agencies, such as Urban and Regional Planning (URP) and the FCT Water Board, to reassess the district layout, determine an appropriate buffer zone, and recommend sustainable development measures.
He proffered questions like, “Is the layout still adequate? If we feel there’s a threat to this water body, let us act now so that posterity will judge us rightly.”
Speaking on the status of the district, Galadima clarified that Usuma is open for development, but only by an approved, potentially revised master plan.
Furthermore, Assistant Director, Engineering Services at the FCDA,Engr. Mohammed Danimoh, underscored the technical challenges posed by the area’s terrain.
“The entire topography slopes toward the dam. This creates a serious problem for managing wastewater and surface runoff,” he said.
Danimoh warned that development in such a landscape would require extensive pumping systems, contrary to standard planning principles that favor gravity-based sewage flow.
“Engineering-wise, yes, solutions exist, but at what cost? Even the sewage treatment plants we’ve built in the city are temporary. Can we sustain another?” he asked.
The inspection team also visited the flood-prone Lokogoma area.
Galadima emphasized that the move was a proactive step ahead of the rainy season.
“This is a known flood zone in Abuja. We plan to deploy our equipment to widen the channels and ease water flow,” he said.
However, he warned .illegal developers attempting to rebuild on previously demolished floodplains.
“We’ve marked those structures. Any further encroachment will be removed. This is enough notice. Stop building on waterways.”
The FCTA’s administration’s renewed push is aimed at balancing urban expansion with environmental protection and sustainability.
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