The Senate on Thursday, resolved to check the tide of illegal motor parks and pick up points within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The upper chamber consequently urged the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the VIO, FRSC, and other relevant agencies to immediately commence a joint task force to step up activities to eradicate these illegal garages and pick-ups within the metropolis.
The Senate’s resolution followed a motion sponsored by Sen. Ahmed Wadada (SDP-Nasarawa) and co-sponsored by Sen. Ireti Kingibe (LP-FCT) during plenary.
The upper chamber also urged the joint task force to always enforce the penalty for the creation of illegal garages within the FCT.
Moving the motion, Wadada said that by the Constitution of Nigeria, the National Assembly was constitutionally empowered to legislate for the FCT.
The lawmaker further said that the FCT was perhaps the fastest growing city in Africa with the influx of people from all parts of the nation thereby putting pressure on existing facilities and causing increased vehicular traffic.
“This is as people have come from all walks of life to seek greener pasture.
“Even though the Abuja master plan has designated motor parks and garages for pick ups and drop off of passengers, transporters in the FCT have formed the terrible habit of picking up and dropping off passengers indiscriminately.
“They also park at non-designated parking zones on the high way thereby causing unnecessary traffic and congestion and also accidents on the highway.”
He said that if the illegal pick up and drop offs at non-designated parking zones were not controlled or eliminated, it may in addition to causing accidents become a serious security threat and concern in the FCT.
Supporting the motion, Kingibe said that the FCT being the capital of the nation; the seat of the government and the face of Nigeria it was important that these things were taken care of urgently.
“There are provisions for parks in the master plan and those things should be immediately restored,” she said.
Also contributing, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA-Abia) said that the Senate was the House of Assembly of the FCT.
“And rather than make a motion, our job actually is to make bye laws for the FCT and therefore, it behooves on all of us and the movers of this motion in addition, to also come up with the bye laws of the FCT which we will pass on this floor."
Sen. Isa Jibril (APC-Kogi) said that apart from the revenue generation at the motor parks, the essence of having motor parks was also to allow ease of tracking of motorists in cases of theft or accidents and other unforeseen circumstances.
“I believe that the illegal motor parks should be scrapped immediately and any of the motorists that does not go with the rules of parking, there should be appropriate sanctions that would serve as deterrence to airing motorists”.
In his remarks, the Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau who presided over the plenary said that “it’s an eyesore what we see every day in Abuja where everywhere has been turned to garage not befitting our capital city, which is the number one symbol of this country.
“It is the pride of all us; a wonderfully crafted city but being messed up the sites we see everyday along roads.
“The FCT committee when constituted should be able to do its oversight functions properly.
“They should put pressure on the FCT administration to do what they are supposed to do by making sure we have a befitting city that we can all be proud of."