Traffic jam: FCTA clears shanties, others in Karu

By Stanley Onyekwere

In furtherance to its effort to rid Abuja of nefarious acts especially those impeding on traffic free flow, the FCT Administration yesterday cleared shanties and roadside trading activities in Karu Market and environs.

Officials of the FCTA, accompanied by security operatives, in a joint clean up operation stormed the area with two bulldozers, and ransacked makeshift structures built with woods and roofing sheets within and around the perimeter fencing of the market.

They also removed several umbrellas and attachments to the shops inside the market, and set ablaze rubbles from the dismantled shanties.

Recall that the officials of FCT Administration had carried out markings of illegal structures around the market, located in Karu, a major satellite town sitting on  major road corridors, connecting the city centre  to Old Karu, Orozo and up to Karshi satellite towns of the Territory.

It was however, observed that some affected traders had carried out partial dismantling and removal of their wares to avoid loss.

Explaining the rationale behind the exercise, Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah, who led the team, it was to remove shanties and roadside trading within and around the market, so as to free vehicular and human traffic in the area. 

Attah, described the situation as very worrisome and disturbing, given the nightmarish experience motorists face daily, to pass through the Karu Market stretch of the Nyanya-Karu-Karshi road.

He adds: “It is very turbulent as people took half of the  dual carriage road, to sell fresh fish, vegetables and others. That’s what took us there, and we have done it absolutely very well.

“For about five years, this illegality started developing strongly , it has not tasted our machines, so today it tasted the wil of the FCT Minister to actually rid Abuja of illegality especially things that impede on traffic free flow that is why today we are happy that people are excited that the road is free now.”

On how to sustain the clean up, Attah said: “ We are hopeful that we keep coming and checking the situation here, trusting that the Area Council that owns the market, which has been very supportive of this clean up will actually do well in keeping it under control, and with the support of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) they will do all they can to ensure that traders go into the market and other designated areas like the informer section, and keep the place clean and away from the road.”

Also speaking, Nbede Micheal , the Divisional Head, Planning, Land and Survey in AMAC, noted that hitherto the removal exercise, the situation was bad, as shanties, lack of parking space and all manner of things are built in and around the market.

According to him, “One of the major issue here is trading activities, totally blocking the major express road on a daily basis. Thank God for the work done by the FCTA, as it is a work well done.

“But, we are going to put all measures in place to sustain the new outlook of the the market. We are going to station AMAC Marshalls to checkmate whosoever that is going to put anything on ground in the undesignated places within and around the market.

“Even though, we have a private developer, who is already handling the market, we will fence the whole market, so that we can together safeguard the market.”