Tackling Abuja’s traffic situation
On 2nd July, 2011, Sen. Bala Mohammed returned as FCT minister. In his maiden meeting with the directors of FCTA and its agencies in Abuja, Mohammed reiterated his commitment to build Abuja warning that any top official of the FCTA unable to meet up will be shown the way out. Areas where Abuja requires sustainability […]
On 2nd July, 2011, Sen. Bala Mohammed returned as FCT minister. In his maiden meeting with the directors of FCTA and its agencies in Abuja, Mohammed reiterated his commitment to build Abuja warning that any top official of the FCTA unable to meet up will be shown the way out. Areas where Abuja requires sustainability in programmes is in the relocation of the Kugbo furniture market and the Nyanya motor park. The minister ordered their relocation to more convenient sites, just as illegal structures are being pulled down by the ministerial task force to restore the Abuja Master Plan.
On the other hand, the perennial traffic congestion in most parts of the city especially Keffi-Nyanya axis has become a source of serious concern. To tackle this traffic bottlenecks, the minister called an emergency meeting of stakeholders in the transportation industry in Abuja. He described as unacceptable the traffic bottlenecks at the entrance points to the FCT and charged them to find immediate and permanent solutions. He insisted that entrance points like Murtala Muhammed Expressway, Kubwa Road, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway, Airport Road and the Nyanya/Karu Road must be cleared to bring ease to traffic movement.
It would be recalled that days before the minister left office during the last dispensation, he flagged off the new Transport Operator’s License scheme which is to bring on board, high capacity buses on the various routes, to replace the present chaotic and unregulated mini commercial buses and taxis in the FCT which operate with security threats. The minister recently inaugurated two taskforce teams to enforce the FCT Road Transport Regulation of 2005 and to urgently implement the FCT Transport Operator’s License. Negligence to implement this has led to the death of 30 people in multiple motor accidents along the Nyanya-Keffi road on Monday July 18. A new initiative by the minister is the award of contract for the Karshi–Apo Road to serve as alternative route for motorists. This road when completed will alleviate the suffering of motorists and commuters on the Nyanya road. Though, the traffic situation on these routes has not reached the desired target, the steps taken so far have no doubt brought succor to the visitors and residents of the territory.
Sani Tahir wrote from Abuja