Abuja Floods: Firm Seeks Climate-Resilient Urban Planning

The Engineering and Environmental Management Services (EEMS Limited) has admonished the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to overhaul its approach to flood management by adopting long-term, climate-resilient urban planning measures.

The chief executive officer of EEMS Mamoud Bello Abubakar, a chemical engineer and environmental and social safeguards specialist, made the call in a statement he issued in Abuja yesterday,

He warned that the recurring flooding in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) could no longer be attributed solely to intense rainfall.

Abubakar said the problem was being driven by a combination of climate change, rapid urban expansion, encroachment on waterways and floodplains, indiscriminate waste disposal, inadequate drainage systems and weaknesses in development control.

According to him, Abuja’s rapid growth and changing climatic conditions require authorities to move away from a largely reactive emergency-response model towards proactive risk assessment and prevention.

“Abuja’s continuing expansion and changing climate require us to move progressively from a predominantly reactive approach towards anticipatory, risk-informed and climate-resilient urban management,” he said.

While commending the FCTA, the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) and other agencies for their flood awareness campaigns and emergency preparedness efforts, Abubakar said more needed to be done to address the underlying causes of flooding.

He identified construction and development on floodplains and natural waterways as major contributors to the problem, alongside inadequate drainage capacity in rapidly developing districts.

Other factors, he said, included blocked drainage channels, increased paved and concrete surfaces resulting from urban development, and inadequate coordination among planning, environmental and emergency management authorities.

To strengthen flood resilience, the EEMS chief proposed a six-point intervention programme for the FCTA.

He recommended comprehensive flood-risk and drainage assessments using hydrological modelling and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping to determine vulnerable locations and guide infrastructure investments.

He also called for the identification and protection of floodplains, natural waterways, green spaces and drainage corridors from developments that could obstruct the free movement of stormwater.

Abubakar urged the FCTA to strengthen and consistently enforce development-control regulations, stressing that approved land-use and environmental requirements must be respected to prevent further exposure to flood risks.

He further advocated the upgrading of drainage infrastructure based on entire catchment areas rather than isolated projects, saying drainage systems must be designed to reflect the volume and direction of stormwater across interconnected communities.

The EEMS boss also recommended mandatory hydrological assessments for major development projects before planning approvals are granted.

Such assessments, he said, would help determine the potential impact of proposed developments on existing drainage systems and surrounding communities.

He further called for stronger community-based early-warning and evacuation mechanisms to enable residents to receive timely alerts and take appropriate action ahead of flooding.

Abubakar also appealed to residents and businesses to desist from dumping refuse into drains and waterways, warning that blocked drainage channels could worsen flooding and undermine government interventions.

He urged developers to comply strictly with approved planning and environmental standards, stressing that flood management could not be left entirely to government.

“Flood resilience requires shared responsibility,” he said, adding that government agencies, developers and residents all had important roles to play.

Abubakar said the FCTA’s ongoing infrastructure renewal programme provided an opportunity to integrate climate resilience into Abuja’s future development.

He said the ultimate objective should be to prevent avoidable flooding through better planning and infrastructure, while ensuring that unavoidable flood events were managed effectively without resulting in loss of lives, destruction of property or widespread disruption.

He maintained that Abuja’s growing population and expanding urban footprint made it imperative for authorities to integrate climate-risk considerations into every aspect of the capital’s future planning and development.