The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it is considering a review of the Usuma District masterplan to avert possible contamination of the Usuma Dam.
The Director of the Department of Development Control, FCTA, Mukhtar Galadima, announced the plan when he led a team to inspect the dam in Abuja on Wednesday.
Other team members included officials from agencies responsible for physical planning, infrastructure, and environmental management in the territory.
Mr Galadima explained that the visit was prompted by fears that unchecked development activities around the dam could jeopardise one of the city’s most critical water sources.
He said that the visit was also in response to concerns raised by different stakeholders following the development of structures close to the dam.
He stressed the need for a review of the existing layout to avert long-term consequences.
He said, “That is why the Department of Development Control invited relevant stakeholders to come and see what is really happening. The pressure on the area is imminent, and in the next two years, we will see developments behind the dam, so we have to put measures in place to safeguard and protect the dam from invasion by assessing the layout – is the layout relevant? Is it adequate? If we feel there is a threat to the existence of the dam, we will do something about it to guide developments in the area.”
He said that although the Usuma District was open for development, it must be within the framework of the approved master plan.
Mr Galadima added that the FCT Administration might initiate a full layout review if necessary.
The director explained that to guide future approvals for development in the area, the Urban and Regional Planning (URP) Department should provide an up-to-date layout of the district.
He also said that the FCT Water Board should collaborate with the URP Department to come up with a reasonable distance away from the dam.
He stated, “We also need FCT policies on water and dams to guide the development control in granting approvals.’’
The Assistant Director of Engineering Services, Federal Capital Development Authority, Mohammed Danimoh, who said the entire terrain slopes toward the dam, added “this creates major risk for both surface running water and wastewater management.”
The team also inspected the flood-prone area in Lokogoma as a proactive measure ahead of the rainy season, where Mr Galadima said development control would expand channels for easy flow of water.
He warned illegal developers, particularly those rebuilding previously demolished structures, saying, “We have marked them to stop any further encroachment, and we are going to remove those encroachments. This is enough notice. They should stop building on waterways.”
(NAN)
