Damage to Abuja Environmental Protection Systems And Ecosystems Including The Sewage Lines Are Almost Irreversible

BY AVM (RTD) AKUGBE IYAMU MNSA fsi 

PRESIDENT ASSOCIATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE PRACTITIONERS 

CONSULTANT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ANALYST ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND COMMENTATOR ON NATIONAL ISSUES 

Nations that moved into sound development gave emphasis to system standardization over personalities. They prioritized ideology in the search for who will drive governance and statecraft because a bad system would drown the most intelligent person likewise a good human element will drive the system according to design and expectations because trait and character can be a plus or minus to a system. Where human elements are equipped with broad knowledge it will be a plus to the system.

The design of Abuja left 40% of the land mass as carbon sink, carbon offsets, erosion protection measures and temperature reduction and regulatory environment. The designers of Abuja never envisaged that policies would be one day tailored to suit narrow interest, in such that a country will spend more to correct destructions than to execute projects.

The current situation of Abuja need a working system including visionary leadership with moral standing to drive the process of restoration of the ecosystems: the entire waste management system is collapsing and posing a big health challenges. If not urgently addressed could result in epidemic threat of epic dimension. These requirements for urban conservation are not rocket science and we can restore the city if we really care.

Abuja from inception was a purpose built city enguarded with all the considerations that make international capitals fated to success and international investments. The people who planned the city were gifted with cognitive acuity that stand the city out in every pantheon of global economy.

Who ever will restore Abuja must have the will to overawe the narrow interest, the diverse vicissitudes of the moment and unfolding environmental challenges including avoidable flooding disasters. The inimitable correction mandarin must be read to confront distortion of the original layout and masterplan with courage and determination. The fact that such mandarin is around must assure the citizens that the project will work.

What Abuja environmental destruction need now is a visionary and anticipatory leadership who saw development and restoration of the original layout and masterplan afar off, never stopped to remind himself that the intention of the founding fathers for the future in creating a world class city is here and growing an must be a reality.

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