A former South-East spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Denge Josef Onoh, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, of presiding over what he described as the systematic conversion of Abuja’s protected green areas into residential and commercial developments.
Onoh alleged that vast portions of the Federal Capital Territory’s designated green belts, parks and open spaces have been parceled out to cronies and private interests, in violation of the Abuja Master Plan.
He expressed deep concern over what he called the “ongoing, unprecedented abuse” of Abuja’s green zones, which he said are being transformed into private estates, hotels, shopping plazas and other commercial facilities under the current FCT administration.
According to Onoh, the 1979 Abuja Master Plan remains a visionary and internationally acclaimed framework, conceived by experts from International Planning Associates (IPA) and refined by renowned architect Kenzo Tange, to deliver a modern, orderly, neutral and environmentally balanced federal capital.
He noted that the planners deliberately reserved about one-third of the FCT’s 8,000 square kilometre landmass—roughly 33 per cent—as green belts, buffer zones, ecological corridors, parks and open spaces.
“These areas were intended to regulate urban temperature in our savannah climate, serve as natural carbon sinks, mitigate flooding through preserved drainage pathways, improve air quality, support biodiversity, and provide essential recreational spaces for residents,” Onoh said.
“This ‘garden city’ concept drew inspiration from global models like Brasília and Chandigarh, while adapting to Nigeria’s context, ensuring Abuja’s growth as one of Africa’s most planned and livable capitals.”
He lamented that the current FCT administration represents the first in Abuja’s history to undermine the Master Plan on what he described as an industrial scale.
“Tragically, this administration marks the first in the history of the FCT to systematically abuse and undermine the Abuja Master Plan on such a massive scale,” he stated. “Hence, I call on Mr. President to direct the immediate revocation of all allocations affecting green areas and open spaces.”
Onoh further disclosed that since 2023, encroachments have intensified across key districts including Guzape, Maitama, Wuse, Katampe, Kado and other parts of the city.
He said flood-prone valleys in Guzape have been converted for development, green belts in Maitama fenced off for estates, parks in Wuse allocated for commercial use, and utility corridors in Katampe built over, all in violation of planning regulations.
According to him, compliance with green-space zoning in Abuja has dropped to about 60 per cent, with roughly 40 per cent non-compliance driven by illegal developments, deforestation and politically motivated allocations.
He warned that per capita green space in Abuja has fallen below 4 square metres per resident, far below the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum of 9 square metres, turning the nation’s capital into what he described as a “concrete jungle.”
Onoh also painted a grim picture of the environmental consequences, warning that the damage is “profound, accelerating and largely irreversible in the short term.”
He cited rising urban heat island effects with projected local temperature increases of 2–4°C, reduced carbon sequestration, worsening air pollution, increased flooding—already evident in recent incidents in Asokoro, Guzape and Wuse—loss of biodiversity and advancing desertification in the savannah belt.
“These actions directly contradict Nigeria’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Tinubu administration’s climate agenda, including net-zero ambitions by 2060 and enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions,” he said.
“Yet, the FCT Minister’s policies prioritise unchecked urban expansion over environmental protection, undermining both national and international efforts.”
Onoh warned that Abuja residents are already feeling the impact through harsher living conditions, increased respiratory and heat-related illnesses, frequent flooding, shrinking recreational spaces, declining quality of life and economic losses from property devaluation and reduced investor confidence.
He further revealed projections indicating rising climate adaptation costs, agricultural productivity losses of 10–25 per cent by 2080, and cumulative climate inaction costs of $100–460 billion by 2050, representing between 6 and 30 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP.
Drawing comparisons with his tenure as Commissioner and Executive Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Onoh said responsible urban governance is achievable when leadership is committed.
“As an agency modelled entirely after the FCDA, we restored Enugu’s 1924 colonial-era master plan, which emphasised green belts and open spaces,” he said. “Under Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration, we enforced compliance rigorously. Violators—even those encroaching since 1971—lost their developments through demolitions and restorations.”
He said those efforts culminated in Enugu State winning the N100 million Model Green State Award in September 2025, presented by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu under the Renewed Hope Initiative Green Nigeria Challenge.
“The award recognised Enugu’s environmental cleanliness, tree coverage and sanitation, proving that prioritising green areas yields sustainability and improved well-being,” he said, noting that the Peter Mbah administration is sustaining that legacy.
Onoh contrasted Abuja’s trajectory with other African capitals such as Nairobi, Kigali, Cape Town, Pretoria and Addis Ababa, which he said have successfully preserved and expanded urban green spaces as part of climate resilience and quality-of-life strategies.
He warned beneficiaries of the disputed Abuja green plots to proceed with caution.
“Do not be surprised if a future government committed to restoring the Abuja Master Plan revokes these allocations,” he said. “History shows that foundational violations are corrected when accountability and leadership demand it.”
In a final appeal, Onoh urged the Federal Government, National Assembly, civil society organisations and Nigerians to intervene urgently.
“We must halt these conversions, audit Master Plan compliance, revoke unlawful allocations and restore Abuja’s green spaces,” he said. “Nigeria’s fight against climate change must begin from the capital. Abuja, our national pride, deserves nothing less.”
