FCT residents panic over demolition rumour

Following the demolition rumour that hover the air, residents of the FCT along Nyanya/Karshi axis have suggested that the FCT Administration should seek a way of offering the people a better project including the road than rolling out bulldozers to send some people back to the villages.

Demolition exercise to residents of FCT is not new as the former FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, can offer better advice and in making the unlawful residents pay.

Mandate given to the ministerial committee headed by Major General Emmanuel Nienge to decongest the Nyanya/Karshi traffic gridlock for easy passage of human and vehicular objects, may have taken a new twist as uninformed public has sought more detailed information from the authority to avail them the opportunity of knowing what the exercise stands for.

The committee, however, claimed that it had weeks of intensive sensitisation and markings of illegal structures along the Nyanya-Karshi road, and that some owners of shops and roadside traders have embarked on voluntary removal of their structures and evacuation of wares from the busy road corridor.

Speaking to The Abuja Times on the matter, Prince Kelvin Sobawale, whose wife is a trader along Karshi road, lamented inadequate dissemination of information as bane of government programme implementation.

Prince Sobowale, who expressed the anxiety over people’s fears as regards the proposed demolition of buildings and shops, decried the imminent danger as this would add to the people’s sufferings.

I really do not understand some of the policies our leaders adopt and enforce it on the people. For all I care, the road in question need to be expanded because the FCT population is on the increase on the daily basis but instead of talking of expanding the road for the future, here we are talking of temporary measure. And I learnt that the committee will only last for six months and if their work ends, what would be the fate of the road? Will the people not encroach on the roads again, or would the traffic gridlock stop? We need a permanent solution not temporary”, he said.

As it stands, the Ministerial Task Force on the Traffic Decongestion of the Abuja-Nyanya-Karu-Jikwoyi-Karshi road, claimed it have identified and marked hundreds of shanties, signposts, mega billboards and unapproved shop extensions amongst others, causing traffic gridlock in the area.

Also, the Task Force has so far gone as far as Kurudu, and heading for Gidan Mangoro, in its quest to decongest the axis.

The Chairman of Taskforce, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Nienge (rtd), who expressed satisfaction on this development, insisted that all the traders along the Karu market road must evacuate and move into the market to do their business.
He reiterated that arrangements have been made to accommodate them all in the market and promised to hold further discussions with relevant authorities of AMAC, operators of the market in doing so.

He however lamented that residents of the area threw their trash and other wastes on the road sides and median instead of the RORO bins provided by the FCTA.
He therefore called on the people to desist from this act as it might eventually lead to some health hazards.