The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, has blamed the ongoing water supply shortage in parts of Abuja on damage to a major pipeline caused by a private developer.
He gave the explanation in Abuja on Wednesday while reacting to the disruption in water supply affecting some areas of the capital city.
Speaking with journalists after inspecting ongoing projects, the minister said the FCT Administration was making efforts to restore water to affected communities.
He explained that after receiving reports of the disruption, he was informed that one of the major pipes supplying water to the FCT had been damaged during a private construction project.
“Somebody carrying out a private development damaged the pipe, and the Water Board is working tirelessly to ensure that it is restored for use,” Wike said.
The minister added that he would visit the site on Thursday to assess the extent of the damage and determine whether the developer should be sanctioned.
“If it means I have to shut down the project, I will do so because you cannot make the public suffer while you continue freely with your own property development.
“So, be assured that we are going to take action. The FCT Water Board is working seriously to rectify it. I appeal to members of the public to please be patient with us.
“It is not our fault; it is the fault of a private developer, but we have no excuse not to restore it. That is what we are doing now,” he said.
This latest development adds to a pattern of persistent water shortages that have affected Abuja residents in recent months, with previous reports linking the crisis to multiple structural and administrative challenges at the FCT Water Board.
Earlier in the year, residents in districts such as Gwarinpa, Wuse, Garki, Apo, and several satellite towns endured prolonged rationing after operations at the Lower Usuma Dam were disrupted by power supply issues stemming from electricity debt disputes.
Reports also highlighted low raw water levels at the dam, ageing pipelines, burst trunk mains, inadequate treatment chemicals and delays in critical repairs as factors worsening supply gaps.
The latest incident, in which a private developer damaged a major pipeline, is expected to compound concerns about the vulnerability of the capital’s water infrastructure, especially as many residents continue to rely on irregular public supply and expensive private vendors.
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