Sponsor of the motion worried that the Operation of illegal garages and pick-up points within the Federal Capital City poised a security threat to residents
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The Senate has stressed the need to urgently stem the tide of illegal motor parks and pick-up points within Abuja Metropolis to avoid a breach of security.
To this end, it urged the FCT Administration, the VIO, FRSC and other relevant agencies to immediately constitute a joint task force to step up activities to eradicate illegal garages, and pick-up and drop-off points within the Federal Capital City.
This charge was contained in a motion co-sponsored by Senator Aliyu Ahmed Wadada (Nasarawa West) and Senator Ireti Kingibe (FCT).
Speaking to the motion, lead sponsor, Wadada noted, “The Federal Capital is perhaps the fastest growing City in Africa with the influx of people from all parts of the nation, thereby putting pressure on existing facilities and causing increased vehicular traffic ad people have come from all walks of life to seek greener pasture.”
He worried that if such problems are not managed or resolved, they would eventually pose a severe security danger to the state.
“I am concerned that even though the Abuja master plan has designed motor parks and garages for pickup and drop-off of passengers, transporters in the FCT have formed the terrible habit of picking up and dropping off of passengers indiscriminately and also parking at non-designated parking zones on the High way thereby causing unnecessary traffic and congestion and also accidents on the highway.”
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Co-sponsor, Kingibe re-echoed the concerns as FCT is the capital of the country.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, described the presence of illegal motor parks within the capital city as an eyesore.
In adopting the motion, the Senate also “urged the joint task force to always enforce the penalty for the creation of illegal garages within the Federal Capital City.”
Speaking further on the issue at a press briefing, Senator Wadada noted that a better environment needs to be created for those saddled with the responsibility of administering Nigeria as the issue being faced in the FCT is becoming worse than in Lagos.
“The lawlessness and illegality that happens in Abuja today is way worse than Lagos. Virtually every junction is a motor park which congests the city which leads to loss of revenue by the FCT Administration and creates security threats.
“Constitutionally, the National Assembly seats as the legislature of the FCT, so I deemed it fit as a matter of responsibility to come up with this motion so that the FCT Administration and other relevant agencies will all be up to their responsibilities to ensure that pick-up and drop-off points for commuters and transporters are done at designated parks because in the FCT master plan has designated areas in garages for pick-up and drop-off points.
Whoever is found operating illegally, the law should prevail over such a person. That’s why the motion was brought to the floor sponsored my me and Senator Ireti Kingibe,” he added.
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