Taskforce sabotaging Nyanya Park- Operator alleges

By Stanley Onyekwere

Operator of the Nyanya Bus Terminal, Isiyaka Nagode Enterprises has accused members of the Special Ministerial Task Force of sabotaging its operations, by encouraging illegal parks in the Area.
In particular, the Operator alleged that the Taskforce have been collecting money from drivers loading and off-loading outside the park thereby frustrating its business as commuters prefer taking vehicles outside , in spite of the facilities provided in the Terminal for passengers’ comfort.
This is against the backdrop of a-24-hour closure of the terminal by the Investor, to protest the lack of revenue generation and sudden spring up of illegal motor-parks, thereby reducing the amount of patronage to the place.
It would be recalled that the FCT Administration had in July this reopened and declared the hitherto closed Nyanya Bus Terminal safe for commuters, three years after it was closed, following multiple bomb blasts.
Chairman of the company, Isyaka Hassan Baba-Nagode, who spoke with some journalists on Wednesday, and decried that since he took over the running of Nyanya Park after it was closed down following the bomb blast that killed dozens.
He claimed that he had invested about N50 million on the Temporary Terminal, which he borrowed from a bank, but since the Ministerial Committee has reneged in the agreement to prevent loading outside the park, he is unable to recoup his invested funds.
According to the investor, all agreements with the FCTA have been flaunted and not kept, eroding the confidence of passengers in the park, just as he has not been able to remit any money to the FCT Administration owing to the frustration as he is not even able to pay salaries of workers.
He disclosed that the company was supposed to remit 30% of proceeds from the park to the FCTA, keeping 70%, but the situation on ground, makes financial liability to the FCTA unattainable.
To this end, Nagode said on 3rd of August, this year, he petitioned the FCT Minister and copied the DSS on the security concerns around the park and the illegalities permitted by the committee and that there has been no change or response since then.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the Secretary, FCT Transportation Secretariat, Comrade Kayode Opeifa said “the operator, who is an independent investor, suddenly closed the park without official communication to the FCT Administration, nor the Transport secretariat.
“Let me tell you that the investor closed the terminal on protest to the lack of revenue generation and he also complained of sudden spring up of illegal motor-parks thereby reducing the amount of patronage, as against the original plan which was designed to ensure sanity and possible revenue generation for the investor.
Opeifa, however reassured that the Secretariat will soon address the issues by holding meetings with the people involved and such actions, will bring lasting solution to what ever problems that may have been elicited at Nyanya park.
“Ordering for the reopening of the park, is what we need for now, we have already ordered for the immediate reopening and business has begun pending the time we solve the problem,” he stressed.