…wants forceful enforcement of Anti- Street trading rules
By Muhammad Abdullahi
Abuja
One of the first class chiefs in Abuja Municipal Area Council ( AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Sakaruyi of Karu, HRM Emmanuel Yepwi has decried the increasing rate of illegalities in his domain, and has pleaded that FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, immediately come to his domain and remove the shanties where the suspects hibernate under different guises.
The Monarch who disclosed this when the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah visited him over the weekend, said it was discovered that the illegalities being perpetrated by some of these criminal elements, live in makeshift shanties and other illegal structures around the community, while some who pretend to be traders have defied all rules and taken over the roadside for their activities.
Yepwi who expressed worry over the situation, said the suspect-law breakers initially came in as law abiding citizens to the community, but over time has revealed their real characters, by disregarding procedures and extant laws.
He noted that he has been mobilising the powers within his constitutional reach to fighting the illegalities being orchestrated by these elements, but now needs government’s support to defeat them and restore sanity to his troubled domain.
He specifically noted with dismay, that some of the people who disguise as traders at Karu Market, but may have other nefarious plans, have taken over the roadsides, and are causing unbearable traffic stress and inevitable disaster.
Yepwi urged the Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation to quickly interven by removing all illegal structures within Karu, one of the largest satellite towns in FCT.
In his words, ” karu is a major satellite town sitting on major road corridors in the FCT. Karu links to Orozo and up to karshi. It should be the best. Sadly most people choose to sell on the road and cause traffic problems”
He went further to appeal to the FCT Minister , ” to please help us fully clear Karu of some illegal structures and batchers that are not good for our community”
” Tell the minister we support him fully for whatever he wants to do to remove all these traders from the roads. We have been warning them to leave but they refuse to.
Speaking earlier, Attah said the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello had expressed worries over the illegalities in the Karu satellite town and would work in synergy with all stakeholders to addressing them.
He also disclosed that the visit to the Sakaruyi’s Palace was motivated by the myriad of complaints that have continued to trickle in from residents living in Karu axis.
Attah added, that more worrisome was a situation where some traders have arrogantly abandoned the empty spaces in the Karu Market, and opted to sell by the roadsides, not minding the traffic problems being created by their actions.
He said, ” it is a pathetic scene at the entry point into the Karu Model market as trader now occupy the entire road allowing only one care to pass at a time. Those selling fresh catfish and vegetables now occupy better part of the road”
Attah expressed worry that, ” some traders are selling directly under high tension wire. There are those who has decided to build makeshift shops and cover the Trasformer. All this, your Royal Highness are not good for Karu in particular and the city at Large”
“With sensitive security agencies having/ offices and residential quarters from Karu to Karshi complaints keep pouring in daily of difficulties crossing the Karu Market portion of the road. Also FCT residents including staff of the Satellite Town development Department at karshi waste manhours daily on the road.”
The Head of Department of Works in Abuja Municipal Area Council, Architect Andrew Gaza who was with the team hailed plans of the FCT Administration to rid the area if those illegalities saying , ” we at AMAC has plans to clear areas in and around the market. Now that FCT Administration is coming in we support it fully. All these illegality must stop”.
Gaza added that, ” If you look inside the market, you will see that AMAC was the first to mark the worrisome illegal structures for demolition. They have completely and badly changed the approved plan for the market.”