FCT community seeks intervention after flood washes away culvert

Residents of Ebagi community in Agyana-Pandagi Ward of Abaji Area Council, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have appealed to the council authorities and the FCT Administration to urgently intervene after a heavy rainstorm washed away the only culvert linking the community to neighbouring villages. Some residents who spoke with Abuja Metro during a visit to the […]

Residents of Ebagi community in Agyana-Pandagi Ward of Abaji Area Council, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have appealed to the council authorities and the FCT Administration to urgently intervene after a heavy rainstorm washed away the only culvert linking the community to neighbouring villages.

Some residents who spoke with Abuja Metro during a visit to the community said they had been stranded since Friday following the destruction caused by the flood.

They explained that the affected culvert serves as the only alternative route connecting Ebagi community to neighbouring Rimba and Pandagi communities as well as Abaji town.

A resident, Musa Aliyu, said the heavy rainfall on Friday cut off access to the community, making it impossible for residents, especially vehicle owners, to travel in and out of the area.

According to him, only motorcycle riders have been able to navigate bush paths to access the road linking Rimba, Pandagi and Abaji town.

“After the heavy rainfall on Friday, some people travelling to the community in vehicles could not gain access because the only double-cell culvert leading into the village had been washed away. This made it impossible for vehicles to cross,” he said.

Another resident, Shuaibu Idris, lamented the deplorable condition of the road linking the community to Abaji, noting that the latest flood had worsened an already difficult situation.

He said the Ebagi-Rimba road was part of an abandoned Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) project, adding that residents had repeatedly appealed to authorities to complete the road.

“Even before now, the Ebagi-Rimba road project had been abandoned. The community has been pleading with the FCT Administration to complete it. Unfortunately, the heavy flood on Friday washed away the only culvert connecting us to neighbouring villages, leaving residents stranded,” he said.

Idris recalled that during the visit of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to Abaji before the area council election, the Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Abubakar Umar Abdullahi, appealed to the minister to intervene and ensure the completion of the abandoned road project.

“I remember that during Wike’s visit to Abaji, the council chairman raised the issue of the abandoned road before the minister, who assured the people that something would be done. We are hopeful that he will fulfil that promise,” he said.

He further noted that the poor state of the road has continued to affect farmers, making it difficult for them to transport their produce to the Abaji market.

The resident appealed to the council authorities to remind the minister of the need to mobilise contractors back to the site to complete the road project and provide lasting relief for the community.

Speaking on the development, an official of the Works Department of the Abaji Area Council, Ibrahim Saidu, said the council chairman had been making efforts to ensure that the FCT Administration mobilises contractors to resume work on the road.

“I believe that since the chairman will be inaugurated for a second term next week, he will continue to engage the minister on the need to complete the Ebagi-Rimba road project,” he said.