By Daniel Tyokua
The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Bello has banned farming activities, street trading and illegal motor parks on fringes of the Umar Musa Yar’Adua Expressway, leading to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
He gave the order during an inspection tour of activities on the road at the weekend, with top management team of the administration, political leaders and some traditional rulers.
Bello said that no resident or organisation would be allowed to carry out any illegal activity on a major gateway leading into the nation’s capital city.
He noted that while residents are encouraged to engage in legitimate economic activities that mitigate poverty and contribute to nation building, the administration will not allow such at any unauthorised places.
Bello expressed dissatisfaction that communities along the road fringes, beginning from the City gate to Bill Clinton Drive, were defacing the environment and not complying with extant regulations.
He further ordered AEPB to sensitize residents and farmers on the need not to plant any crops along the road axis, so as to reduce their burden of loss, because the sanitation will not spare any illegalities.
The Minister also directed the Ministerial Committee on City sanitation, the Department of Development Control, the Abuja Environmental Protection Board and relevant Security agencies to commence immediate comprehensive sanitation along the road.
Also speaking, the Chairman Abuja Municipal Area Council ( AMAC) Abdullahi Candido, assured that the council would support the administration in the exercise.
Meanwhile, the Sapeyi of Garki Chiefdom, Dr. Usman Nga-Kupi who was not also happy that residents were engaging in the illegalities, assured the Minister that he would summon all the chiefs of the communities.
