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Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has declared the On-street Parking scheme, popularly known as "Park and Pay," illegal in Abuja.
During a live media chat marking his first anniversary in office, Wike revealed that the scheme was reintroduced in August last year, just days before he assumed office, after being previously suspended due to public outcry.
Expressing his disapproval, Wike highlighted the unfair revenue-sharing formula, which grants 80 percent of the proceeds to a private consultant while the FCT Administration receives only 20 percent.
He recounted a personal experience where a Senior Advocate of Nigeria informed him that officials were attempting to confiscate vehicles under the guise of the Park and Pay scheme. "I called the Mandate Secretary of Transport Secretariat. I said, come, who introduced the Park and Pay? What does it mean? Who collects the money?" Wike questioned.
Wike seeks residents vigilance against illegal operations
Wike ordered an immediate halt to the scheme, emphasising that the public should be aware there is "nothing called Park and Pay."
He acknowledged that these types of arrangements often occur within various secretariats and vowed to end such practices.
The minister urged residents to continue informing the government of similar issues, noting that he might not have been aware of the illegal policy without public intervention.