Bala Mohammed, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has unveiled plans to partner two major automobile manufacturers, Toyota and Chevrolet, as well as Infrastructure Bank (former Urban Development Bank) for the acquisition of commercial vehicles for the new transport scheme in the nation’s capital city.
Mohammed, who gave the hint while receiving the report of the Abuja mini-bus from the Ministerial Committee on the Implementation of Mini-Bus Feeder Routes and Traffic Regulations, assured the operators of the administration’s plan to provide the sum of N500m palliative from the SURE-P fund.
Accepting all the recommendations of the committee, the minister immediately lifted the suspension earlier declared on implementation of routes delineation for high capacity buses, mini-buses, taxis and the Keke-Napep. However, he gave additional three weeks moratorium for further publicity and compliance.
He emphasised that the FCT Administration is not implementing the new land transport policy to inflict pains on any mode of transport operator or commuters but to reduce transportation time. He also reiterated that all decisions being taken are not for personal interests but for the overall interest of the country and residents of the Federal Capital Territory, in particular.
Mohammed restated the commitment of the FCT Administration to sustaining the Abuja Mass Transit Policy, particularly as his administration implements the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, noting that the mini-buses will have more work to do now than before as other nooks and crannies of the city formerly not serviced have been provided to them for their operation.
He said the FCT Administration would talk with some banks, including the African Development Bank and Toyota Motor Company to provide credit facilities to buy brand new buses at high rate purchase.
“We are not making anybody jobless as speculated, indeed, people will be more empowered under this policy because what the FCT Administration is doing is restricting their operations to certain areas of the Federal Capital City and allowing them to operate more broadly on other routes,” he said. “We are not out as a government to criminalize poverty or ignorance, but we are here to create synergies and provide alternatives that will take Abuja to greater heights.”
In addition, Mohammed announced that the FCT Administration would soon review the operation of the Abuja On-Street Parking, popularly known as Park and Pay Policy to make it more amiable, saying the measure became necessary because of series of complaints and petitions to his office against the unholy activities of some of Park and Pay concessionaires.
“We may be going back to the residents of the Federal Capital Territory to meet with stakeholders in a way of a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the entire operations of the policy vis-à-vis the activities of the concessionaires,” he stated.
Mohammed also revealed that the FCT Administration would be sending a bill to the President for onward submission to the National Assembly for the establishment of the FCT
Transport Authority to provide effective legal framework that would ensure sustainability to outlive his Administration.
