Removal of illegal structures in the FCT
By Tribune Online
Removal of illegal structures in the FCT
It is gladdening to see the recent positive turn of events in Abuja, most notably around the popular Nyanya market along the Nyanya/Keffi expressway, as well as the Dutse Alhaji market on the road connecting Bwari and Dutse Alhaji to the arterial Kubwa/Zuba expressway. The Ministerial Task Team on Traffic Decongestion has restored some level of sanity and decongested traffic along these roads through the removal of illegal structures.
Before now, the activities of traders around the popular Nyanya market, a suburb of the FCT, as well as the Dutse Alhaji market, constituted serious nightmare to Abuja residents, especially motorists and other residents around the area.
In the case of Nyanya Market which is usually at its busiest on Wednesdays, the activities of traders on the road shoulders who were also encroaching into the highway made navigation by motorists and other pedestrians around the area a near impossibility.
These activities remain on the increase despite several efforts to prevent the roadside traders from interfering with the very critical Nyanya/Keffi expressway that connects the FCT to some of the very densely populated areas in nearby Nasarawa State such as Mararaba, One Man Village, New Nyanya, Ado, Masaka and even parts of the FCT like Jikwoyi, Orozo, Karshi, among others.
However, with the enforcement activities of the ministerial task team now in full gear, things are beginning to take a turn for the better. A recent visit to the Nyanya market showed that some of the major impediments like market stalls and roadside traders which usually constituted heavy obstructions of traffic flow along the road are gradually being removed, making motoring around the area a complete delight. Heavy duty vehicles which usually also park around the area are also disappearing on the orders of the task team, further freeing up vehicular traffic around the area.
Previously, vehicles belonging to big conglomerates were seen fully loaded with goods like cement and parked under the bridges, apparently waiting to be called by their customers to supply them items like bags of cement.
So, in essence, they had turned a very critical spot on the ever busy Nyanya/Keffi expressway to an extension of their operating base, further constricting the motoring space and endangering the lives of road users.
There was also the pathetic case of an illegal toilet facility that was being erected by certain persons who decided to encroach on the space freed up by the task team around the Nyanya market.
It was gathered that the illegal developers deceived the market operators into believing that they had approval from the local authorities. But kudos must go to the task team who moved swiftly to demolish the illegal structures.
Enforcement activities such as these are necessary to ensure that the city runs smoothly in line with the Abuja master plan and the vision of its founding fathers and Abuja residents have a major role to play by reporting such illegalities to the appropriate authorities.
Danladi Akilu,
Abuja
Removal of illegal structures in the FCT
Tribune Online