By Daniel Tyokua
The Abuja Environmental Protection Board ,AEPB, on Monday begun the clean-up of shanties along Airport Road.
Director of the board, Dr Hassan Abubakar who led the combined team of security personnel, said the exercise followed ministerial directive to clear all nuisances along the road.
He explained that the cleaning was going to be a comprehensive operation, which no area will be left out.
Abubakar said, “This is Airport Road, so the cleaning must be 10 kilometer away from the major road. The road determines the image of the country as a whole, so this place has to look clean”
On sustaining the exercise, he said the board had put in place measures for frequent checks.
“We are not going to stop this exercise, all those causing nuisance here must be removed, it is going to be a daily operation, every day we must come here and spend at least 3 to 4 hours, and pin downs” he said.
He disclosed that over 200 enforcement squard has been deployed to the road for sustainability of the exercise.
According to him, all illegal traders and road side mechanics must leave the road corridor.
He stated that the exercise was a minimum one and not force, but he said anyone found during the next operation will be arrested and prosecuted.
The Director called on relevant stakeholders to support the AEPB’s struggle to ensure sanity along the road.
