TheCable

A house of representatives committee says it will look into the activities of the developer in charge of Trademore Estate, Lugbe, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

At its sitting on Thursday, the ad hoc committee investigating the operations of real estate developers in the federal capital territory (FCT) tackled the developer over the recent flooding in the estate.

In September, TheCable reported how three persons died in the estate after a downpour that caused a heavy flood.

Vehicles were submerged, while several properties were destroyed during the flooding incident.

Residents of the estate who spoke at the sitting on Thursday said the flooding is caused by the absence of an adequate drainage system.

“There are two incidents of flooding in the last two years but no compensation,” one of the residents said.

“I am imploring the house to ask the developers to set a timeline on what they intend to do to provide solutions to the issues.”

In response, Celestine Oproh, managing director of Trademore, said efforts are on to address some of the challenges in the estate.

Mzondu Benjamin, a lawmaker from Benue and a member of the house of representatives committee, said the estate was built on a “flood plain,” adding that urgent measures should be taken to address the flooding issue in the estate.

“I think if we want to address the issue of Trademore, we have to do it holistically. With Trademore, we are dealing with a bigger monster than what you are hearing,” he said.

“I will tell you on authority that Trademore never had allocations. Trademore is built on a flood plane in Abuja. I will want you (chairman of the committee) to ask the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to submit to you the report.

“Every year in FCT, you have flood rains; lives are taken. It is not what the developer and these people can sit alone and resolve; it is a more technical issue.

“If this committee wants to do justice, it must look at it more holistically, inviting FCDA and the developer to look at the issues because whether you like it or not, with the underground water in Trademore, if you build a world-class infrastructure, it won’t last for two years because that place is a flood drain.”

He said based on the report submitted to the committee, the layout of the estate was not approved by the regional planning.

Blessing Onu, chairperson of the committee, ruled that a sub-committee will be set up to interface with the developer, the house associations in the estate and FCDA to provide a lasting solution to the issue.