All illegal car parks will be closed to ensure safety Minister

The Minister, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammed
Bello, says all illegal car parks would be closed to ensure safety
in FCT.

Bello said this during an advocacy visit to the Federal Road
Safety Commission (FRSC) headquarters on Friday in Abuja.

He said that Abuja had gone beyond earlier expectation of the
plan in terms of influx of vehicles.

“Criminality has increased just like vehicles have increased in
FCT. Therefore, all illegal motor parks will be closed to ensure
safety.

”Designated areas for tricycles will be highly restricted. Keke
will only be allowed in estates. They will be banned in Asokoro and
Life Camp.

“All these are in the laws but they are not being implemented
and we would have to start implementing them.

”Advocacy will be carried out. With advocacy, additional
pedestrian bridges would be created,” he said.

The Corps Marshal FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, says colour-coding
taxis would address the one-chance robbery incidence in FCT.

Boboye said this while presenting the proposal for “towards
improving road traffic management in FCT.

He said that the use of unpainted vehicles for taxi and
accompanying security risks was one of the identified challenges
bedeviling Road Traffic Management.

“The FCT is one of the international gate-ways to the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. As the capital city and seat of power, Abuja
is host to foreign missions, international personalities and
business interest.

“The political, economic and administrative activities are of
strategic importance to the nation which necessitate influx of
people with relative increase in road traffic volume.

”The city is currently bedeviled with traffic congestion arising
from non compliance to road traffic regulations by some motor
vehicle operators as well as other road users.

“FRSC would team up to make Abuja a model. FCT has the highest
vehicle registration presently after taking over from Lagos.

“One of the countermeasures is to engage the Unions to paint
their taxis to approved FCT colours and fix taxi overhead lamp on
vehicles within one week.

“Also engagement of the taxi unions to move to approved
designated motor parks within one week,” he said.

Boboye said that the success of the initiative could best be
carried out with requisite personnel and logistics support hence
the need to provide security back up.

“Light tow trucks, vehicles, bikes and personnel. Monitoring to
ensure compliance would also help to counter this menace,” he
said.

The corps marshal said that the need to ensure that commercial
vehicles are registered and carry “Taxi” sign and coded was
necessary.

“The proposed plan of action if facilitated, would not only make
Abuja city devoid of traffic indiscipline as currently prevalent,
but also enhance the aesthetic value of the city,” he said.
(NAN)