Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Barrister Nyesom Wike has issued a directive for the immediate reconstruction of the Dogon Gada box culvert in Lokogoma village, Abuja…..READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Mr. Felix Obuah, the Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), made this announcement in Abuja on Tuesday during the 2024 Flood Risk Assessment and Community Awareness Campaign.

The campaign was organized by the FCT Emergency Management Department in collaboration with emergency management stakeholders.

The bridge, which connects over 3,000 residents of Lokogoma village, popularly known as Dogon Gada community, to Ring Road II, collapsed due to the movement of heavy-duty trucks to construction sites, perennial rainfall, and the de-silting of sands in commercial quantities. This further weakened the bridge and expanded the erosion space, leading to flooding that claims lives on a yearly basis.

It was gathered that on April 7, the FCT Emergency Management Department barricaded the collapsed bridge to avert loss of lives.

Obuah stated that the construction of the bridge would commence immediately after the engineering department concluded their structural designs and other technical requirements.

He assured the community that the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) was taking necessary action to ensure that no lives were lost to flooding in FCT throughout the 2024 rainy season.

“The minister has given a directive that the construction of the bridge should commence immediately. As I speak to you, work will commence any moment from now. The engineering process has already begun for the speedy construction of the bridge,” he said.

The coordinator emphasized that human actions have an impact on the environment, exposing it to varying degrees of flood risk. He explained that the exercise was a preparedness and awareness campaign to sensitize residents against actions that would predispose communities to flooding.

“I assure FCT residents that with the proactive measures being taken by FEMD and other stakeholders, no lives will be lost in 2024 to flooding. We must, therefore, continue to strengthen our collaboration towards flood prevention and mitigation,” Obuah said.

Earlier, the acting Director-General of FEMD, Mr. Mohammed Sabo, stated that the flood risk assessment and awareness campaign were part of strategies to strengthen disaster risk reduction.

Sabo mentioned that other flood-prone communities would also be sensitized to mobilize residents to take proactive steps towards preventing the loss of lives to floods.

He added that the flood risk assessment would enable FEMD to assess interventions that worked and areas that needed additional interventions to prevent flooding.

Also, Mr. Florence Wenegieme, Director of Forecasting, Response, and Mitigation, noted that the bridge had claimed many lives over the years during the rainy season.

Wenegieme explained that people were killed by the flood because they tried to cross the flooded bridge against warnings by FEMD and local divers stationed at the bridge.

Mr. Christopher Maikalangu, Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, thanked Wike for the prompt intervention to prevent more people from dying from flooding along the bridge.

He said that the distance from the community to Ring Road II was 800 meters, but the residents had to travel five to six kilometers through alternative routes to get to the ring road.

The leader of the community, Mr. Irimiya Kanpani, who could not hide his excitement over the minister’s approval for the recommendation of the collapsed bridge, described it as a huge relief.

“Now I can go to sleep knowing that the minister will fulfill his promise and my people will be safe. All I can say is thank you,” he said.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Barrister Nyesom Wike has issued a directive for the immediate reconstruction of the Dogon Gada box culvert in Lokogoma village, Abuja.

Mr. Felix Obuah, the Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), made this announcement in Abuja on Tuesday during the 2024 Flood Risk Assessment and Community Awareness Campaign.

The campaign was organized by the FCT Emergency Management Department in collaboration with emergency management stakeholders.

The bridge, which connects over 3,000 residents of Lokogoma village, popularly known as Dogon Gada community, to Ring Road II, collapsed due to the movement of heavy-duty trucks to construction sites, perennial rainfall, and the de-silting of sands in commercial quantities. This further weakened the bridge and expanded the erosion space, leading to flooding that claims lives on a yearly basis.

It was gathered that on April 7, the FCT Emergency Management Department barricaded the collapsed bridge to avert loss of lives.

Obuah stated that the construction of the bridge would commence immediately after the engineering department concluded their structural designs and other technical requirements.

He assured the community that the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) was taking necessary action to ensure that no lives were lost to flooding in FCT throughout the 2024 rainy season.

“The minister has given a directive that the construction of the bridge should commence immediately. As I speak to you, work will commence any moment from now. The engineering process has already begun for the speedy construction of the bridge,” he said.

The coordinator emphasized that human actions have an impact on the environment, exposing it to varying degrees of flood risk. He explained that the exercise was a preparedness and awareness campaign to sensitize residents against actions that would predispose communities to flooding.

“I assure FCT residents that with the proactive measures being taken by FEMD and other stakeholders, no lives will be lost in 2024 to flooding. We must, therefore, continue to strengthen our collaboration towards flood prevention and mitigation,” Obuah said.

Earlier, the acting Director-General of FEMD, Mr. Mohammed Sabo, stated that the flood risk assessment and awareness campaign were part of strategies to strengthen disaster risk reduction.

Sabo mentioned that other flood-prone communities would also be sensitized to mobilize residents to take proactive steps towards preventing the loss of lives to floods.

He added that the flood risk assessment would enable FEMD to assess interventions that worked and areas that needed additional interventions to prevent flooding.

Also, Mr. Florence Wenegieme, Director of Forecasting, Response, and Mitigation, noted that the bridge had claimed many lives over the years during the rainy season.

Wenegieme explained that people were killed by the flood because they tried to cross the flooded bridge against warnings by FEMD and local divers stationed at the bridge.

Mr. Christopher Maikalangu, Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, thanked Wike for the prompt intervention to prevent more people from dying from flooding along the bridge.

He said that the distance from the community to Ring Road II was 800 meters, but the residents had to travel five to six kilometers through alternative routes to get to the ring road.

The leader of the community, Mr. Irimiya Kanpani, who could not hide his excitement over the minister’s approval for the recommendation of the collapsed bridge, described it as a huge relief.

“Now I can go to sleep knowing that the minister will fulfill his promise and my people will be safe. All I can say is thank you,” he said….READ FULL ARTICLE HERE