By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has chased out illegal food vendors, mechanic, petty traders and fuel hawkers on rail and road corridors in Area II Garki, near presidential villa, Abuja.
The Assistant Director, Enforcement, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Kaka Bello during the operation, said the administration would not tolerate environmental nuisances.
He urged the residents to have a healthy attitude towards the environment, which he said if all residents ensure disciplined and do what was right, Abuja would remain a clean city.
“This area falls within the Asokoro District and it is bordering the residents of the number one citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“And as such this illegality that is happening here will not be allowed to continue. You can see a lots of sundry nuisances from food vendors, illegal petroleum sellers popularly known as black marketers, and illegal mechanics occupying this road corridors.
“And this has led to the spillover of their illegal activities on the R.B. Dikko Road off Lord Lugard street. This is unacceptable and that is why the Director of AEPB, Mr Osilama Braimah, gave us a matching order to come and ensure that we sanitise this place.”
For the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Ikharo Attah, the place being occupied by the illegal vendors and mechanics was a green area given as a temporal food court.
Attah disclosed that the administration would fence the area, adding that those who have temporal allocation to run a green area, parks and open spaces would take charge.
This, according to him, they will do it in accordance with the provision of the Parks and Recreation Department that gave them the allocation.
