The Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda has promised that the Authority would make a strong case to the FCT Administration for the protection of the Jabi Lake in Abuja as it is crucial in mitigating flood and erosion.
This need arose from the findings of the recent research undertaken by the Integrated River Basin Management and the National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna.
He said the FCDA supports the work of the River Basin Management and the Institute on the Lake to make it functional again and well protected by returning it to its original purpose.
The Executive Secretary made the remarks when he received a delegation from the Institute, led by the director-general, Prof. Adanu Emmanuel on a courtesy visit and presentation of an “Update in Research and Capacity Building in Ecohydrology and Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Jabi Lake, Abuja”, on Friday.
He told his guests that their observations and recommendations were well noted and that the Authority would see to what could be done to protect the Lake.
Speaking earlier, the Director-General of the Institute said the visit was to brief the Executive Secretary on the outcome of the research and capacity building on Ecohydrology in the Lake which was embarked upon on 17th June 2020.
He said urgent steps must be taken to ensure the Lake is not a disaster waiting to happen and suggested the creation of a designated access road to the lake for proper water management.
He stated that hyacinth on and around the water body should be weeded systematically to allow for sustainable navigation and bio-remediation for improved ecosystem services, while also stressing the need to desilt the Lake of debris and sediments and bring back the annual Boat Regatta and Fishing Festival to the Lake. This he said, was the desire of some of the respondents surveyed and whose livelihoods depend on the Lake.
The Director-General canvassed that the FCDA should as a matter of national emergency make a case for legislation against the erection of buildings along the flood plain of the Lake with punitive measures for defaulters, as well as the need to intensify efforts to protect the flood plain of the Lake by creating a buffer zone around the shorelines which he said had been taken over by developments while ensuring security around the Lake
