City Clean-up: Federal Capital Territory Administration demolishes illegal markets
Hudu Yakubu, Abuja.
Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has embarked on a City Clean-up, demolishing illegal structures in the city, including markets.
Some traders were visibly worried as the Ministerial Taskforce on City Sanitation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) demolished a mini market situated close to the FCT Administration Secretariat in Area 11.
According to the taskforce team, the mini market stood on the land belonging to the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS).
During the demolition exercise, tagged ‘City Clean-up’, the traders, mostly food vendors, told journalists that they were given three months by the taskforce team to vacate the area. However, they were still waiting for the FCT Administration to allocate another place to them.
A trader, Rafat Mohammed, said she was worried because there was nowhere for her to start up:
“This is worrying. Where will I go and start? Government is supposed to provide an alternative place for us before the demolition” she lamented.
One of the traders and a market leader, Malam Ibrahim Lawal, who expressed his anger over the incident, admitted that the FCT Administration gave them a notice of three months, but it was not yet time:
“I feel very bad because we were given three months but it is not up to the three months.
“We were following up the issue till late last week.
“The people that came told us that they were sent by the minister. Others said the minister is not aware of the demolition; How come? The minister promised us land, but we have not seen it,” he said.
Fielding questions from journalists after the exercise, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah, explained that the area which is near the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) has
constituted a nuisance in the area.
He said pulling down of the illegal structures will bring about sanity in the area that has been converted to a mini market, which is against the master plan.
“This place is constituting a nuisance in Area 11.
“It started as a small restaurant. “Gradually it metamorphosed into a market; now it has become a serious challenge.
“The activities on this single plot of land have become a serious issue.
“The minister of FCT, Malam Mohammad Bello, has directed that we should clear the place. Such illegality will not stand. We gave them warning before coming,” said Ikharo.
A customer who was at the scene, Charles Olili, said the place was the only nearby affordable restaurant. He, however, that its food is affordable, but he agreed that government has powers to decide what is good for the people.
“It is a legal plot of land but has been turned into an illegal market,” he said.
Edited by Amaka E. Nliam
