Residents of Abuja must take responsibility for activities that worsen flooding in the Federal Capital Territory, Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has said while defending FCT Minister Nyesom Wike against criticism over recent floods.
Agbese, a Labour Party lawmaker representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, made the statement in Abuja on Tuesday. He argued that blaming Wike alone for the flooding was unfair, pointing to infrastructure projects undertaken by the FCT Administration since the Bola Tinubu administration came into office.
The lawmaker said the administration had invested in roads, drainage, transportation and other infrastructure across Abuja and its satellite towns. He cited the completion of 221 kilometres out of 317 kilometres of roads awarded in satellite towns, as well as projects including the Gwarampa-Jahi Interchange, Airport-Kuje Road, Kuje-Gwagwalada Road and parts of the Outer Southern Expressway.
“Blaming Wike for the flood in the FCT is like the Israelites blaming Moses for helping them to the Promised Land,” Agbese said, arguing that government projects should be recognised alongside areas where improvements are still needed.
He described Wike as “a prophet who is not honoured at home”, saying the minister had received recognition for his work while facing criticism from some Abuja residents over the flooding. Agbese maintained that acknowledging the administration’s achievements should not prevent residents from demanding action on unresolved problems.
The lawmaker said flooding in a rapidly growing city such as Abuja should be treated as a shared responsibility. He pointed to population growth, construction, pressure on drainage systems and human activity as factors contributing to the problem, with indiscriminate waste disposal among his major concerns.
Agbese specifically criticised residents who dump refuse in drainage channels and waterways, warning that blocked water passages can worsen the impact of heavy rainfall. “You cannot dump refuse into waterways and drainage channels and then turn around to blame the minister when the rain comes,” he said.
He called on residents to stop using waterways and drainage channels as dumping grounds and urged them to report blocked or encroached waterways to the relevant authorities. At the same time, he asked the FCT Administration to maintain investment in drainage and flood-control infrastructure and strengthen enforcement against illegal dumping and encroachment.
Agbese said Abuja residents should see themselves as partners in developing the capital rather than simply beneficiaries of government projects. He argued that the long-term solution requires both effective government action and responsible citizenship as the FCT faces rising population, extreme weather and increasing human activity.
