Mr Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has announced that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will make a definitive decision regarding commercial motorcycle operators in the capital territory when buses are provided as alternatives.
The minister made this announcement while responding to questions from reporters following his inspection of various road projects in Abuja on Saturday, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.
Wike acknowledged the ban on commercial motorcycles in the city centre but emphasized that no firm decision had been made against violators due to the absence of alternative transportation in the form of buses provided by the FCTA.
He explained:
- “We did not take a firm decision because we have not been able to provide the buses that will be the alternative for the people.
- “It is within the government’s responsibility to provide the alternative and then ask the motorcycle operators to leave the city centre.
- “This is so that you don’t ask them to leave, and people will be suffering; no.”
Consultations and plans for addressing open grazing concerns in Abuja
Regarding the issue of open grazing in Abuja, Wike mentioned that it would be addressed after thorough consultations with herders.
The minister clarified that cattle would be permitted to graze in the suburbs but not within the city centre.
He said:
- “Before we take any decision, we will do proper consultation so that nobody will say you never alerted them, you never interacted with them before you took that decision.
- “We are going to call the cattle people to sit with them. We cannot allow things to go on like this. We didn’t say that there would be no cattle in Abuja but within the city.
- “Like I said, we will take it one after the other.
- “You know Nigerians are used to “nothing will happen”. Just like when we talk about land revocation and payment of ground rent, people say it will not happen, but it has happened.
- “Even you (journalists), disseminating the information, you must disseminate the information in such a way that you are not trying to cause crises between the government and members of the public.”
Key infrastructure projects inspected by Wike in the FCT
According to reports of the News Agency of Nigeria, some of the projects Wike inspected in the FCT on Saturday included the construction of the southern Parkway from Christian Centre (S8/9) to Ring 1, managed by Setraco, as well as the expansion of the outer Southern Expressway under the supervision of CGC.
Other projects the minister inspected are the rehabilitation of the Federal Secretariat overseen by Julius Berger, and the completion of roads B6, B12, and Circle Road in the Central Area of the Federal Capital Territory.
These projects encompassed a substantial area, extending from Villa Roundabout to OSEX/Ring Road 1 Junction, incorporating four interchanges.
Additionally, Minister Wike conducted a thorough inspection of the comprehensive development of Arterial Road N20, stretching from the Northern Parkway to ONEX, along with its associated spurs, which are being undertaken by Gilmor Engineering.
