By Umar Shuaib
Really, with engineering solutions houses can be constructed even in the oceans. But, from the Planning point of view cities are not only made for physical developments. Environmentally friendly development which ensures balance of the ecosystem, between humans, flora and fauna is very essential for sustainable development, with physical and mental wellbeing. This balance is more essential now that we are experiencing the menace of global warming.
In order to prevent environmental challenges the Abuja Master Plan is tailored towards the retention of the stream valleys and watercourse networks for both aesthetic and drainage purposes, and preservation of the surrounding escarpments of hills and the inselbergs, which jut up in the body of the Gwagwa plains and form the visual backdrop to the city and major focal points within the city.
We had policy changes, reviews and innovations depending on the dynamics of the physical, economic and socio-cultural environment.
However, there are some of the basic structural elements in the building fabric of the city which must not be altered. These include the various categories of roads reservations. They are the Parkways, Transit ways, Arterials, Railway corridors and others. Others are the highlands and the green area reservations.
The threat posed by the population pressure in the city leads to stiff competition between rival land uses. Areas are reserved for greening in order to curb environmental challenges among others. However, areas earmarked as green in the Master Plan are seriously experiencing violations to other uses, specifically, residential and commercial.
Last month, in July 2024, landslides buried two villages in Ethiopia, killing 257 people. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that the final death toll could exceed 500. These are the deadliest landslides in Ethiopian history. According to statements from locals, the area where the landslides occurred was rural, remote, and mountainous. The soil in the region is known to be unstable, and landslides and heavy rains lead to deadly incidents every year. In 2016, heavy rains also led to landslides which killed 41 people. In May 2024, 50 people were killed in a landslide in the same area as the July event.
If lessons are leant from experiences of others, the Ethiopian landslides should serve as a lesson to us on how to manage our environments and cities in general in order to prevent similar catastrophes. The fact is, whenever a plan earmarks an area as green or undevelopable, there are underlying reasons, and its violation could be fatal.
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In the Abuja Phase I land use plan, the whole area surrounding the Maitama Hill has been earmarked as undevelopable. Dar-e-Handasa was the firm that carried out the underground survey. Information received revealed that in its report to the FCDA, it mentioned the existence of underlying unstable rock superimposed by the land that made up the hill, and stated the possibility of a land slide occurrence.
Hence, the suggestion for the area to remain as green. As a result of the violations of that provision, mud-slide really occurred with fatalities in the area as was predicted. That was at Maitama Mississippi Street during construction work in February 2016. The fact is, the creation of residential layout in the area is a land use contravention, with potential environmental consequences.
Following the slide, the Senate Committee on the FCT visited the scene and condemned changing the use of the Maitama Hill from the original proposal of Green Area in the Master Plan to residential and commercial uses. The then Committee Chairman described the action as absurd, wicked, treacherous and not acceptable. They have ordered for stop work, and the restoration of the Master plan, with the removal of all structures therein. However, the directives did not go further from the lips of the Chairman.
Development around the ‘Minister’s Hill’ has been very controversial right from the initial stage of the city development. Unfortunately, those with the background details of the real information are now out of service, some sent out unceremoniously as a result of abiding by plans and development regulations. We have earlier made presentation on this subject in our previous episode.
A similar attempt was discovered around the mountainous areas of Katampe Extention, Dawaki and Usuma District sometimes in August 2022. Land grabbers resorted to using explosives to blast the solid rocks in order to create lands for housing development around the mountainous areas, illegally. That was heavily resisted with arrests of the culprits, and the removal of all the illegal developments.
Ideally, prior to any development, geological surveys to determine the stability of the underlying rock would be conducted. Otherwise, it will be another creation of potential environmental disaster.
The rainfalls are now very heavy, we must not take it for granted and assume that we do not have unstable soils in the mountainous regions. Illegal rocks blasting could trigger unpleasant environmental consequences of unimaginable proportions. The Authority must intensify enforcements around the area and ensure it is stopped by all means.
