From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Monday, demolished over 20 illegal corner shops which obstructed traffic in Utako District of the city.
The demolition which started as early as 5am, had all the relevant agencies on ground.
Abuja Metropolitan Management Council,
AMMC Coordinator, Umar Shuiabu, who spoke to newsmen at the venue, lamented about the traffic and illegal activities on the stretch and said it was unacceptable.
According to him, “This is a continuous cleanup of Abuja, this area was very notorious, you can see the road ( Tunde Idiagbon stretch at Utako), anytime you pass here there is always traffic and the reason is because of the illegal activities in this area, while the motor park is inside, the illegal market is outside.
“Unfortunately there was an illegal allocation not by constituted authority to build a market outside the park, which is generating all these tensions, we have been on this matter for a very longtime, for so many years, and we have given them notice so many times but uptill now these people didn’t comply the last one was given and we followed all necessary processes.
“Now we have ministerial directive to clear the place and that is what we are doing in the next few days, you will have free flow of traffic, this is what we want in the city of Abuja. Whatever you want to do, you must follow the process before you build.”
Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Attah Ikharo, said the Minister of FCT, Muhammad Bello, is not happy about the contraventions in Utako and therefore gave the matching order for the removal.
“The Minister actually took several FCT officials round early last week and showed everyone the contraventions across this area in Utako connecting Wiye district popularly referred to as Tunde Idiagbon way, the Minister frowned at so many abnormalities in this area which include babanbola, illegal shanties, shops, barchers, and he wants everything addressed immediately, so every relevant agencies have come to do their operation,” he said.
Director, Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, on compensation, said: “There is no compensation because the corner shops were built since El Rufai, and they have outlived their stay, purpose and government gave them a grace of five years and they are suppose to come and renew but since then no renewal and so they have outlived their stay. There is no compensation.”