Ex-lawmaker backs Wike’s demolition of buildings on waterways

Former House of Representatives member, Rt. Hon. Sam Onuigbo addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday... Photo Credit: Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis

A former member of the House of Representatives, Sam Onuigbo, has backed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over the ongoing demolition of structures obstructing waterways and drainage channels in Abuja.

Onuigbo, the newly elected President of Globe Legislators International, said protecting lives and the overriding public interest should take precedence over the interests of individuals whose buildings obstruct natural water channels and expose thousands of residents to flooding.

The former two-term lawmaker stated this during a press conference on President Bola Tinubu’s achievements on Friday in Abuja.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration had commenced the demolition of houses and other structures built on designated water channels following renewed flooding in parts of the nation’s capital.

The demolition exercise began on Tuesday in Maitama shortly after Wike inspected flood-affected areas and ordered the immediate removal of structures obstructing waterways.

The PUNCH reported that officials subsequently deployed tractors to some affected locations as they began enforcing the minister’s directive.

Wike had also directed the FCT Department of Development Control to identify and remove structures obstructing natural water passages, stressing that the exercise would not spare properties belonging to high-profile individuals.

Reacting to the development, Onuigbo said individuals should not be allowed to endanger thousands of residents by deliberately erecting structures that obstruct drainage channels.

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He said, “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. It does not mean that if some individuals obstruct the flow of water affecting thousands of people, one should not demolish their buildings.

“There is what we call overriding public interest. 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.

“You don’t build a house knowingly to obstruct the drainage. It will cause massive damage to other people’s investment. As I said earlier, Wike is doing a fantastic job. So, he’s in a position to be able to demolish such buildings and ensure that, in the overriding public interest, sanity is restored.”

Wike had attributed flooding in parts of the FCT partly to climate change and heavy rainfall but identified illegal construction on drainage routes, poor enforcement of building regulations and indiscriminate waste disposal as other major contributors.

The minister said the administration was determined to confront structural violations that had persisted in the FCT, maintaining that the failure of previous administrations to act would not prevent the current government from taking corrective measures.

The demolition campaign is expected to affect structures found to have been erected on natural waterways and flood channels, as the FCTA intensifies efforts to reduce the impact of flooding and protect lives and property in the nation’s capital.