Abuja planning – falling behind its shadow (II)

We should view it from the angle that we had a former Capital City, but reasons were advanced to necessitate its transfer. At a point, Lagos was dubbed the Problem Capital due to the physical and environmental problems largely caused by congestion — population increased beyond capacity of the city. Abuja became the most suitable […]

We should view it from the angle that we had a former Capital City, but reasons were advanced to necessitate its transfer. At a point, Lagos was dubbed the Problem Capital due to the physical and environmental problems largely caused by congestion — population increased beyond capacity of the city.
Abuja became the most suitable after debating among other competing areas. Between May and July 1976, a delegation of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), visited a number of capital cities around the world namely: Canberra, Chandigarh, New Delhi, Los Angeles, Miami, Paris, Brasilia and Washington to study among others, the history of the development of these cities from the aspect of essential preliminary studies, urban designs, architectural and engineering works.
The first priority, which was the most vital component of the terms of reference the FCDA gave to the International Planning Associates (IPA), was to have a new capital that will be comfortable and healthful, and possess adequate natural resources to provide a promising base for urban development. In essence, to design a new capital that shall be free of all those encumbrances that necessitated the transfer of the capital out of Lagos. Otherwise, the reason(s) for the transfer shall be defeated. Already as we have highlighted previously, the provision of those vital components of urban designs, architectural and engineering works like the Central Sewage System (CSS) are now violated in many districts of the city due to deliberate failure to abide by development guidelines, as a result of greed for land acquisition.
Abuja was designed and is expected to be developed akin to all those capital cities mentioned above. If these cities were without reputable urban managers, we would not have any model to copy when we adopted their planning and development models. Even areas serviced with the CSS are currently experiencing blockages such that liquid wastes cannot be flushed out of houses in many districts, and sewage spills and flows on the streets.
These sewers are planned for certain budgeted population and specified land uses, but the continuous violation of development guidelines in areas that are not supposed to be developed, like areas reserved for greening and those along transportation corridors are those overstretching the facilities meant for a fewer structures and population. Whatever we have feared in terms of density of developments in Lagos, the same is now catching up with Abuja due to these violations. The failure of water circulation uphill when the development requirements of an area we refer to as the Ministers’ Hill in Maitama District was first violated in the initial periods of the city development, should not be forgotten by authorities. This area was supposed to be a green area in the City Land Use Plan. A booster had to be introduced at that time to enable water circulation uphill.
To all proponents of modern planning in Nigeria, Abuja should be a laboratory. With planning as a multidisciplinary profession, the defense of the city plan should be considered sacrosanct by all the professionals in the built environment, specifically the Town Planners. The so-called Ministers’ Hill was recently further desecrated. Sadly, it was designed by a planning firm belonging to a pioneer FCDA staff.
Because of the dynamic nature of modern planning, the First Phase of the city development is supposed to be a pilot project, such that whatever short comings encountered be corrected in the planning and development of the districts in the subsequent phases. For example, the developments along the busy arterial roads of Yakubu Gowon in Asokoro District and Adetokumbo Ademola and Aminu Kano Crescents in Wuse II Districts would have been made to be wider going by the heavy traffic on that corridor, and not to be adjoined by residential developments, but by a multifunctional corridor. Even with the realization of these types of challenges, the pilot project that is Phase I of Abuja development today is the best district when compared with the subsequent phases that are supposed to address the short comings of the initial phase, but are trampled with a so-called mass housing developments.
What we need is stern law that can catch those who abuse their offices to violate the development requirements even if out of power. But will the administration support it?