Fred Itua, Abuja
Six years after a Federal High Court stopped park n pay policy in Abuja, Senate, yesterday, passed a bill seeking the establishment of road traffic and motor vehicle administration service in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The proposed agency, if the bill is signed into law, by President Muhammadu Buhari, before next Thursday, will, among others, review the parking fees and enforce the parking laws in the FCT.
The park n pay system became a controversial issue about six years ago, before a court judgment stopped the FCT Administration from further collecting fees from residents for on and off the street parking within the metropolis.
But, the new bill which has already been passed by the House of Representatives, empowers the FCT Administration, in collaboration with the FCT Internal Revenue Service, to embark on the overall enforcement of parking rules.
The bill also saddled the proposed agency with the responsibilities of producing and administering vehicle and drivers’ licences in collaboration with relevant federal agencies.
The specific functions of the FCT traffic management service as contained the bill are, regulating road traffic management and motor vehicle administration within the FCT.
The agency would also regulate, register, revoke, license and the renew motor vehicle documents and issuance of vehicle identification number plates in the FCT.
It will also conduct road worthiness test and issue road worthiness certificates to all categories of vehicles for the purposes of ridding the FCT of non-road worthy vehicles.