By TPL Umar Shaibu
Chapter 5 of the Abuja Master plan discussed the Plan Organization and Land Requirements of the City. Out of the 25,498 hectares earmarked for the City a whopping 8,300 hectares equivalent to 33 percent was allotted for open space and recreation. Thus, among the major objectives of the master planning process and which shaped the Capital City program is the provision of a citywide open space structure.
Others are the retention of the stream valleys and water-course network for both aesthetic and drainage purposes. It also aimed at the preservation of the surrounding escarpment of hills and the inselbergs which form major focal points within the City. As we have stated previously, ornamental parks and open spaces with indigenous and exotic species were meant to be visible everywhere in the City. Hence, Abuja was conceived of, in the tradition of the “city beautiful”, or the “garden city” concept.
Protecting the principles and concept require institutional arrangements and policies, and these were embedded in the framework that forms the Federal Capital Development Authority, the FCDA that is building, and the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, AMMC that was later established to manage the City.
Specifically, the Park and Recreations Department was created to ensure the protection and management of the land budgeted for open spaces and recreation by the Abuja Master plan for the purpose of actualizing the garden city concept. There is every reason why regulations would be made by the responsible FCT Administrations to strengthen the “city beautiful” essence, for the overall benefit of our dear Capital City.
The creation of the Parks and Recreation Department in 2004 was immediately preceded with the promulgation and gazette of the FCT Parks Regulations in 2005. The regulations aim to protect the aesthetic appeal and biodiversity of the FCT’s green spaces and ensure they are used for healthy recreations. Despite their importance, the regulations have faced challenges. In order to address the challenges, a subsequent FCT Parks Policy was gazetted in 2019, which built upon the foundation of the 2005 regulations to further promote the “Green Concept” and the preservation of natural features within the city.
Considering the effect of climate change on the FCT environment, all Layout Plans of the FCT shall provide not less than 33 percent land for Parks, Green Areas and Open Spaces for carbon sequestration. Also, as provided by the Park Policy, all designated Parks, Green Areas, Open Spaces and other Recreational Sites captured in the 33 percent land use budgeted, and which have been distorted, shall be recovered and reverted to Parks and Recreation Department.
It also made provision for the lost green resources of the FCT due to physical developments to be recovered vertically on walls, horizontally on building tops. As germane as this provision is, this aspect is still not being propagated and promoted by the concerned department to inform developers for compliance. This will be a subject for future discussion.
Furthermore, the 2019 FCT Park Policy provided for different hierarchies in parks. They are Regional, above 50 hectares, Citywide, 20-50 hectares, District, 9-20 hectares, Neighbourhood, 1-8 hectares, and Parkettes, below 1 hectare. The violation of any of these structures negates the provisions not only of the Park Policy, but the parent document which is the Abuja Master Plan and the accompanying tools provided for the implementation and protection.
Nobody can boldly commence removal of trees in a designated Neighbouhood Park, with the intention of development, if he doesn’t have the land allocation from the FCT Administration. Also, any of such allocations must have been preceded by a report from the relevant department, which would be backed by a policy document to support the land use change.
With all the arrayed documents we are at a lost as to the one relied on, by the present FCT Administration to allocate the Zone 6 Neighbouhood Park and many others across the Federal Capital City for a contrary use. We are hereby categorically demanding for the report that ‘guided’ the FCT Administration to violate the green area provisions in the Abuja Master plan in the manner now perpetrated.
One fundamental principle in urban planning is transforming constrains on one development to advantages on others. Thus, lands that have constrains of physical development due to availability of streams or being susceptible to flooding become advantageous to use for greening for aesthetics and recreations. At the same time, are used as district storm drainage waterways and underground sewer lines.
It was the blatant refusal of the Wike administration to listen to professional advice from the professional bodies not to violate the areas designated as green in the land use plans of the City, which has now culminated in a clearly avoidable environmental jeopardy of burst water pipes, blocked water and sewer lines and environmental contamination, that is now threatening the health, welfare and overall survival of Wuse Zone 6 Neighbouhood community. It was an indescribable embarrassment to the Federal Capital City.
To be continued.
