Onoh warns Abuja green loss undermines climate pledges, seeks presidential intervention

By : Guardian Nigeria

Date: 10 January 2026 3:58pm WAT

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Denge Josef Onoh

Denge Josef Onoh

A former Southeast spokesman for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has warned that the ongoing conversion of Abuja’s designated green areas for private development threatens Nigeria’s climate commitments and the original vision of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging President Tinubu to intervene.

Onoh, who is also Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, accused the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, of presiding over what he described as a systematic erosion of green belts and open spaces reserved under the Abuja Master Plan. He said the 1979 Abuja Master Plan, developed by International Planning Associates and refined by architect Kenzo Tange, deliberately set aside about one-third of the FCT’s landmass for green belts, parks and ecological corridors to ensure environmental balance and liveability. “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.

He added that the concept drew inspiration from cities such as Brasília and Chandigarh to build a sustainable and orderly capital. Describing the current trend as unprecedented, Onoh said, “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. Hence, I call on Mr President to direct the immediate revocation of all affected green areas and open spaces affected.” According to him, encroachments have intensified since 2023 in districts including Guzape, Maitama, Wuse, Katampe and Kado, with flood-prone valleys, parks and utility corridors allegedly converted to estates and commercial developments.

He claimed compliance with green zoning had fallen to about 60 per cent, with per capita green space now below four square metres per resident, far short of the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum. Onoh warned that the environmental consequences were already being felt, citing rising urban temperatures, flooding in parts of Asokoro, Guzape and Wuse, worsening air quality and increased risks of desertification. He said these developments contradicted Nigeria’s obligations under the Paris Agreement and the Tinubu administration’s stated climate ambitions.

“These actions directly contradict Nigeria’s commitments as a signatory to the Paris Agreement and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s strong leadership on climate action,” he said. “Yet, the FCT Minister’s policies prioritise unchecked urban expansion over environmental protection, undermining national and international efforts.” He also cautioned Abuja residents that the impact would be immediate, including harsher living conditions, health challenges, loss of recreational spaces and economic strain from flooding and declining property values. Projections, he added, pointed to steep long-term costs from climate inaction.

Drawing a comparison with his tenure as Commissioner and Executive Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, Onoh said strict enforcement of Enugu’s master plan led to demolitions and restorations of green areas, a policy he said contributed to Enugu State winning a national green award in 2025. “To those allotted these former green plots: proceed with utmost caution,” he warned. “Do not be surprised or complain if a future government, committed to restoring the integrity of the Abuja Master Plan and upholding environmental justice, revokes these allocations.”

Onoh urged the Federal Government, National Assembly and civil society groups to halt further conversions, audit compliance with the Abuja Master Plan and restore lost green spaces, insisting that protecting the capital’s environment was central to Nigeria’s broader fight against climate change.

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