Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
A former member of the House of Representatives, Sam Onuigbo, has publicly endorsed the ongoing demolition of structures obstructing waterways and drainage channels in Abuja by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Onuigbo, who is the newly elected President of Globe Legislators International, made his stance known during a press conference on President Bola Tinubu's achievements held in Abuja on Friday, asserting that protecting lives and the overriding public interest must take precedence over the interests of individuals who have built illegally on natural water channels.
The demolition exercise, which began on Tuesday in the Maitama District shortly after Wike inspected flood-affected areas, has been a subject of intense debate. The Minister had ordered the immediate removal of structures obstructing waterways and directed the FCT Department of Development Control to identify and remove all such buildings, stressing that the exercise would not spare properties belonging to high-profile individuals. In response to the development, Onuigbo argued that individuals should not be allowed to endanger thousands of residents by deliberately erecting structures that obstruct drainage channels.
Onuigbo was unequivocal in his support for the Minister's actions, stating, "If people on their own just set up structures to obstruct the drainage because they believe the minister was not paying attention, they deserve to be punished". He further elaborated on the principle of overriding public interest, saying, "In line with that, if the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory discovers anywhere that one individual's action is affecting the well-being of millions of people, I would agree with him to go ahead and demolish the structure". The former two-term lawmaker stressed that building a house to knowingly obstruct drainage causes massive damage to other people's investments, adding, "Wike is doing a fantastic job".
The demolition campaign comes after renewed flooding in parts of the nation's capital. Wike had earlier attributed the flooding in the FCT partly to climate change and heavy rainfall, but he identified illegal construction on drainage routes, poor enforcement of building regulations, and indiscriminate waste disposal as other major contributors. The Minister has maintained that the failure of previous administrations to act would not prevent the current government from taking corrective measures. As the FCTA intensifies its efforts to reduce the impact of flooding and protect lives and property, the demolition exercise is expected to affect structures found to have been erected on natural waterways and flood channels across the nation's capital. Onuigbo's strong endorsement adds a significant political voice to the growing chorus supporting the FCT Minister's aggressive approach to urban planning and flood prevention.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments