By Stanley Onyekwere
In a bid to tackle headlong all traffic problems in Abuja, the Federal Capital City, the FCT Administration said it has commenced the installation of Control Room project, aimed at enhancing traffic management and security of commuters in the Territory.
The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, made this disclosure at the weekend, after meeting with some senior officials of the FCT Transportation Secretariat, in his office.
The Minister said that the project, which is in tune with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Transportation Master Plan of the Federal Capital Territory, is 65 percent completed.
However, Mohammed revealed that the FCT A has upgraded a total of 28 out of the 74 existing traffic light installations from the old technology of incandescent light to Light Emitting Diode (LED) with Solar back-up to drastically reduce traffic light problems associated with those powered by conventional electricity supply.
He added that twenty additional new intersections have been earmarked for traffic light installation before the end of the year 2014; while 1,200 additional road traffic signs have been installed of various types and sizes.
He disclosed that more roads have been marked in the city and they include Tafawa Balewa Way; Lome Crescent Street; F.O.Williams Street; Babangida Aliyu Street; Nouchott Street; Kashim Ibrahim Way; Sabo Ago Way; Deji Omotade Street; Wada Aliyu Street as well as Ahmadu Bello Way.
Also, the minister reiterated the commitment of his Administration to provide sufficient number of High Capacity Buses for scheduled bus transit services in and around the 8,000 square kilometers of the FCT.
“Due to Biometric data capture of drivers earlier embarked upon by his Administration, issues of identification, safety and security is today better addressed.
“FCTA has so far granted licenses to seven companies under its Operators License Scheme namely AUMTCO, FABREM, AUTOSTAR, NURTW, RTEIN, SECDA, TUC; while PAT and PRINTFIELD are yet to be licensed. These companies under the Operator’s License Scheme on daily basis deploy an average of 216 high capacity buses and 4,250 taxis,” the minister was quoted yesterday, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule.
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