The FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services, also known as VIO, has given commercial taxi operators in the territory a 24-hour ultimatum to stop illegal parking.
The acting Director, VIO, Wadata Bodinga, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday that operators, who failed to comply with the ultimatum would be made to pay N25,000 fine or face prosecution.
Bodinga said: “The FCT Administration is very serious and is determined to make sure that it safeguards the critical infrastructure in the FCT, particularly the walkways, the green barges that are dilapidated and scattered by motorists, who are using every available space in the FCT as a bus stop.
“So, aside from the security aspect of it and the dangers it can pose to other commuters, it is also affecting the beauty of the city.
“That is why the FCTA wants to have a change in that direction so as to give FCT a befitting facelift.”
Bodinga said he was carrying out the directive of the security committee headed by the Commissioner of Police FCT.
He said the committee was set up to find sustainable solutions to traffic jam in the territory and return Abuja to its original master plan.
Bodinga said that the directorate went round FCT to sensitise all categories of transport operators to the new directive before enforcing it.
The director noted that the FCT Administration has provided an alternative park for temporary use by commercial vehicle operators.
He said: “Some of the suggested areas are the zone five park, opposite Access Bank by Wuse market.
“There is another park behind Wuse market, opposite Kitway and Development Control office; we have swung into action to clear it.
“There is another one at Berger junction behind Federal Inland Revenue Service apart from the bus stop at the main junction and it is big enough to contain all licensed commercial vehicle operators.
“There are also two garages on the Area One and Three axis; we have equally gone to Lugbe and have also identified all the alternative bus stops to be used.
“We have done the same thing at AYA. So, we have provided alternative routes in almost all the nooks and crannies of FCT.”
Bodinga further said that five mobile courts would begin sitting simultaneously at different locations to try defaulters.
He, therefore, advised tricycle (Keke Napep) operators and commercial motorcyclists (Okada) to operate within the areas prescribed by law.
According to him, tricycle operators should operate only within estates, while commercial motorcyclists are to operate within FCT satellite towns.
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