The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, said a director of the Federal Capital Development Authority had been suspended for allegedly granting illegal building approvals on waterways in Abuja.

Mr Wike, during a media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said the suspension was part of efforts by the FCT Administration to address recurring flooding in Abuja, which he attributed partly to years of illegal construction on waterways and the impact of climate change.

Mr Wike said, “The floods in Abuja today are a result of people building on waterways in Abuja illegally over the years. We suspended a director in the FCDA according to the Civil Service rule who was illegally giving building approvals to build on waterways.”

Mr Wike also stated that, “Climate change is also responsible for the flooding being experienced recently in Abuja.”

This followed recent flooding in parts of the FCT, caused by heavy rainfall, prompting the FCT Administration to embark on the removal of illegal structures obstructing waterways and drainage channels to reduce the risk of flooding in Abuja.