Re: FCT minister’s battle against roasted fish, beer and women
All responsible governments accept critical views so long as they are constructive. But, Jibrin Ibrahim’s article in the Daily Trust of July 8, 2022, with the above caption failed such test, even based on his allusions. There is nowhere in the world that a society operates without rules and regulations aimed at eradication or at […]
All responsible governments accept critical views so long as they are constructive. But, Jibrin Ibrahim’s article in the Daily Trust of July 8, 2022, with the above caption failed such test, even based on his allusions.
There is nowhere in the world that a society operates without rules and regulations aimed at eradication or at least mitigation of crime and criminality in order to achieve decentcy, unless we want to play the ostrich and pretend that if we don’t not see the danger, it does not exist.
Otherwise, one cannot understand the rational of Mr Ibrahim, who claimed not to be ignorant of the major factor of insecurity bedevilling the nation, including making a reference to the recent jailbreak in Kuje within the FCT, yet turning around to criticise the FCT minister’s implementation of the FCT Parks Regulations. On one hand he blamed the administration for the insecurity bedevilling the nation, on the other he criticised the administration for enforcing measures to stem the tide of the insecurity. We wonder what such double standard aims to achieve.
Part of the FCT Parks Regulations states that: “All Parks shall operate within the hours of 8am to 7pm daily, except when a special permit has been sought and obtained, upon a proper application to the Director of Parks and Recreation for an extension of its operating hours.” It must be understood that all major cities in the world have parks regulations as they concern opening and closing time. Abuja can never be an exception. The fact is that in those advanced countries like England, which such writers usually give as examples, closing time ranges from as early as 4pm to a maximum of 7.30pm; depending on the month of the year.
Secondly, Ibrahim so much eulogised a former FCT Minister, Malam Nasir el-Rufa’i, on his achievements. Unfortunately, he didn’t even know that it was his same role model, el-Rufa’i, that created the FCT Parks Regulations, signed in 2005. If successive FCT administrations slept on duty, Mr Ibrahim is supposed to commend the present administration for the continuation of the el-Rufa’i legacy.
In the first place, Muhammad Musa Bello, the FCT minister, never mentioned roasted fish in the whole explanation he made when he received the management of NAN or in any way insinuate any battle with beer and women. On the contrary, he spoke passionately on the safety of women at the parks.
Beyond his responsibility as the Chief Security Officer (CSO) in the FCT, the minister will never disturb any park operator from his operations so long as he they do not violate any law and order. All those with sound minds, the NAN visitors inclusive, clearly understood the minister’s very clear and categorical explanation on the protection of the green components of the Abuja Master Plan, mitigation of security challenges and nocturnal disturbance with excessive and high musical sounds in residential neighbouhoods.
All parks, as with plots of land in planned cities globally, have their designations and development requirements to ensure compatibility of adjoining land uses and to protect the rights of all citizens; not only park operators.
Fact is that the percentage proportions of park allocations per neighbouhood are very insignificant in comparison with hundreds of residential allocations in any of the residential districts of the city.
Abuja is beautiful today due to strict adherence and enforcement of development regulations. The rights of all other citizens in the neighbourhoods that inundate the FCTA with torrents of complaints about nocturnal disturbance must be attended to by the government.
Tpl Umar Shuaibu, Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC)