The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration has inaugurated a 19-member technical community to relocate mechanics and technicians operating along road corridors to Wasa District, Abuja.
The AMMC coordinator, Felix Obuah, who inaugurated the committee in Abuja, said the move was part of efforts to give Abuja a new look.
Mr Obuah added that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had directed that those occupying the right of way should be relocated to the permanent site in Wasa so that road construction would commence in affected areas.
He explained that rather than demolishing temporary and illegal sites, the Wike-led FCTA provided a better alternative and ensured an orderly migration before demolishing the temporary sites.
According to him, this is to expand existing roads and construct others, such as the road corridor occupied by the Apo mechanic village.
Mr Obuah said, “The mechanics and technicians have 20,000 to 30,000 members. We have to be sure that this number they are brandishing are actually existing. We have to also verify and open a database to make sure that everybody we are allocating is actually on the road corridor.”
He said that the committee’s goal was to ensure the efficient relocation of the affected mechanics, technicians and other traders in Apo mechanic village and other locations in the FCT.
Mr Obuah added that the committee would also be expected to handle any challenge during the relocation. He explained that the committee members were drawn from the Department of Development Control, Abuja Environment Protection Board and Urban Affairs, Resettlement and Compensation, General Counsel and Legal Services Secretariat.
He said others were from the Land’s Department, Urban and Regional Planning, Mapping and Surveying, Finance and Administration, and Directorate of Road Traffic Services.
He explained that the committee was also expected to enumerate eligible mechanics, technicians, dealers and other traders operating on corridors, including furniture makers.
He added that the committee would also prepare the relocation site immediately, handle compensation matters, establish demarcations and boundaries of the site, identify areas of integration where necessary and review the layout.
Chairman of the committee, Abubakar Makama, said the issue has been lingering for over 25 years without any solution and thanked the coordinator for swinging into action within just three months in office.
Mr Makama assured Mr Obuah that the committee would be diligent, fair, transparent, and accountable for discharging the assigned responsibilities.
(NAN)