The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is to review the master plan for Usuma District, following growing concerns that ongoing development in the area could compromise the Usuma Dam, one of Abuja’s most vital water sources.
A joint inspection team led by the Department of Development Control, in collaboration with agencies responsible for physical planning, engineering, and environmental management, visited the area to assess the risk posed by encroaching developments around the dam.
Tpl. Mukhtar Galadima, Director of the Department of Development Control, who led the site visit, emphasized the urgency of reviewing the district’s layout to safeguard the dam.
“There were concerns raised by different stakeholders regarding development around Usuma Dam,” he said. “We had to bring everyone here to witness the situation firsthand.”
Warning of imminent development pressure, Galadima added, “You may think the threat is decades away, but we could begin to see development behind the dam within two years. We must act now to protect this critical water body.”
He called on relevant agencies including Urban and Regional Planning (URP) and the FCT Water Board to reassess the district layout, determine an appropriate buffer zone, and recommend sustainable development measures.
“Is the layout still adequate? If we feel there’s a threat to this water body, let us act now so that posterity will judge us rightly,” he urged.
On the district’s status, Galadima clarified that Usuma is open for development, but only in accordance with an approved, potentially revised master plan.
Engr. Mohammed Danimoh, Assistant Director of Engineering Services at the FCDA, further underscored the technical challenges posed by the area’s terrain. “The entire topography slopes toward the dam. This creates a serious problem for managing wastewater and surface runoff,” he said.
He warned that development in such a landscape would require extensive pumping systems, contrary to standard planning principles that favor gravity-based sewage flow.
“Engineering-wise, yes, solutions exist, but at what cost? Even the sewage treatment plants we’ve built in the city are temporary. Can we sustain another?” Danimoh asked.
The inspection team also extended their visit to the flood-prone Lokogoma area. Galadima described the move as a proactive step ahead of the rainy season. “This is a known flood zone in Abuja. We plan to deploy our equipment to widen the channels and ease water flow,” he said.
He also issued a stern warning to illegal developers attempting to rebuild on previously demolished flood plains. “We’ve marked those structures. Any further encroachment will be removed. This is enough notice. Stop building on waterways.”
The FCTA’s renewed push underscores the administration’s intent to balance urban expansion with environmental protection and sustainability.
