By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Engr. Shehu Ahmad Hadi has said that the administration will take stiffer measures to save lives and property in TradeMore Estate.
This is as , he said that Trademore Estate did not have FCDA approved building plan and the continuous flooded areas can best be left as Green areas and not residential.
Hadi who is also the Chairman , Special Ministerial Task Team on flood mitigation made this known when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television Flagship program, Dateline Abuja over the weekend.
He said, “most structures are preventing water from flowing freely through its natural course which is responsible for flooding recorded in some parts of the city.
“Buildings in Trademore have been severally marked for demolition. Warnings have been given year in year out. They just keep risking their lives and that of others.
“People are clamouring that we act quickly and take tough decisions to save lives and property. And this is what we must do. We cannot act as though we don’t see this man-made problem caused by those who violated the Abuja Master plan”. He said.
While adding that the area is on a low line zone which is not safe, he said, “flooding can come at any time. They know this and have been experiencing it over the years, we have told the residents there to vacate.
“ The Police station in Trademore would be demolished. It would go alongside other buildings too we have engaged the FCT Police command and the Force Headquarters and we provided a suitable place for them to operate from and fight crime”.
” The property that was submerged in Trademore include market, Police station and other structures. If we had not taken proactive measures to relocate the police station, you can see that it was part of the reference point. We alert able to do that because it’s a government property, severally, we have marked the structures and given notices for evacuation to no avail.”
Responding to questions from anchor Chinwe Kayla Megwa on recent Severe flooding at Trademore Estate which reportedly claimed two lives, Hadi dismissed as untrue allegation that the FCT Administration has not given those affected sufficient notices.
Engineer Hadi noted that Trademore estate is just one of the Area in focus as other areas where structures are built on floodplains too would experience removal of illegal structures.
He said Phase 11 and Phase 111 of Lokogoma, Mountain of Fire and Galadimawa Roundabout are all in the same water ways.
