Sewage, blocked drainage, manholes worsen Abuja flooding — FG

The Federal Government has blamed blocked manholes, accumulated solid waste, and heavily restricted underground drainage systems for dramatically worsening the severe flash floods that recently hit Abuja.

An on-the-spot technical assessment by the Federal Ministry of Environment revealed that the sudden inundation of major areas—including Wuse II and surrounding districts—was heavily aggravated by human factors rather than just intense rainfall.

This was contained in a technical report prepared by the Department of Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management following an on-the-spot assessment of the area on Monday, August 17.

The inspection was carried out by a technical team led by the Director of the department, Usman Abdullahi Bokani, following a directive from the Minister of Environment.

The ministry said silt, solid waste and debris found in several manholes and drainage inlets had restricted the flow of stormwater, causing the drainage system to surcharge during the heavy rainfall.

According to the report, intense rainfall triggered rapid urban runoff, but blocked drainage inlets and restricted underground conveyance increased the volume of water accumulating on the surface.

It stated, “Under intense rainfall, the restricted system is unable to evacuate runoff efficiently, leading to hydraulic surcharge, backflow, and surface inundation.”

The ministry also expressed concern over evidence of sewage-contaminated water at several locations within Abuja City Centre.

It said the contamination could be linked to cross-connections, drainage surcharge or poor maintenance of the drainage and wastewater networks.

The report called for an integrity assessment of the affected networks to identify the source of the sewage contamination and determine whether damaged or illicit connections existed.

The ministry said the Blantyre Crescent incident was an indication of a wider drainage infrastructure maintenance problem in the Federal Capital City.

It recommended the immediate clearing and desilting of the affected manholes and underground drainage channels, as well as inspection of upstream and downstream sections of the network for concealed blockages.

It also called for a comprehensive condition assessment of underground stormwater infrastructure across Abuja City Centre, particularly in areas with a history of recurrent flooding.

The ministry proposed that critical drainage assets should be inspected and desilted before every rainy season, with additional checks during periods of heavy rainfall.

It further recommended the creation of a digital register of manholes, underground drainage channels, flood-prone locations and maintenance records to improve the management of the city’s drainage infrastructure.

The report also urged the relevant FCT authorities and the Federal Ministry of Environment to conduct joint periodic monitoring of drainage infrastructure and maintenance activities.

The ministry warned that emergency clearing alone would not solve Abuja’s recurrent flooding problems, stressing the need for a shift towards preventive and scheduled maintenance.

It consequently requested approval to formally communicate its findings to the appropriate FCT environmental and development authorities and seek immediate intervention at Blantyre Crescent.

It also called for the establishment of a comprehensive and verifiable routine maintenance programme for manholes and underground stormwater infrastructure across Abuja City Centre.

The technical team comprised Bikani, who served as team lead, Engr. Attah Abdullahi, Engr. Feyisetan Ayomiposi and Engr. Isa Yahaya.