By Taofeek Lawal, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has banned farming activities, street trading and illegal motor parks on the corridor of the Umar Musa Yar’Adua Expressway, which leads to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Bello, stated this over the weekend when he led top management team of the administration, political leaders and some traditional rulers to inspect various developments on the road axis. The minister frowned at the conduct of residents which he said is constituting nuisance to the public.
Mallam Bello said no resident or organisation would be allowed to carry out any illegal activities on the highway which he described as the major gateway to the nation’s capital.
He, however, said that while residents are allowed to engage in legitimate economic activities that reduce poverty and contribute to nation building, he said the FCTA will not allow such at unauthorised places.
The minister frowned at the commercial along the road corridor, beginning from the City gate to Bill Clinton Drive, defacing the environment and not complying with extant regulations. He said residents living within the fenced communities were illegally attaching structures against the Administrations’ intents.
He also called on l the Abuja Protection Environmental Board (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 directed the immediate removal of all illegal structures, markets and motor parks along the road corridor.
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.
The chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Candido, assured the minster that the council would support the administration in the exercise.