As efforts to make sure the the Nigeria Federal Capital is Clean enough like other Capital Cities around the world, the FCT Ministerial Task Team on City Sanitation on Tuesday moved bulldozers to clear illegal shops, shanties and other makeshift structures in and around Zuba one of the suburbs of the Nigeria Capital City.

During the cleaning exercise, Petty traders and owners of those structures were visibly angry , The FCT Ministerial Task Team on City Sanitation dismantled illegal motor parks and shanties in the area.

Officials of the team led by its chairman Ikharo Attah, who moved into the area in the wee hours of the day stormed the popular Dankogi area on Zuba-Kaduna expressway and demolished the illegal motor parks which the traders operate in makeshifts, constituting security threat to the people.

Responding to questions from journalists after the exercise tagged ‘clean up’ the chairman said removing of the structures was in line with the directives of the minister of the FCT Malam Muhammad Bello to maintain sanity in the city.

Attah explained that the exercise followed the Minister of FCT’s directives on the need to reclaim the inter-change in Zuba being abused by traders and motorists.

He regretted that the inter-change has been taken over by shanties in the name of trading, causing grilock and nuisance.

The chairman stated that, “The minister is not comfortable with the abuse of the plan of the inter-change which is supposed to be green but is converted into a transport hub that is gradually becoming a shanty and criminals’ den, the area has also become a plantain market.

“We are removing the illegal structures to reclaim Zuba because some criminals are coming to the spot, so the exercise today is multi dimensional, one is to reclaim the Zuba inter-change, two is to remove shanties where criminals hide, three is to free traffic coming from Kubwa-Dei-Dei axis that connect Zuba and Zuma rock axis on Abuja-Kaduna express way.

“There is a market for the traders, so they should move in, not selling on the road, they feel to sale on the road because it provides quick market for them, we are discouraging that by appealing to them to relocate and leave the road inter-change, or corridor” he said.

FCT Bulldozer At work in Zuba

On sustaining the exercise, Hassan Ogbole of the Department of Development Control said after the clean-up, the Department of Parks and Recreation is expected to take over the area for proper management.

“We have done our part it is left for the Department of Parks and Recreation to take over the management of the area, is either they come in as a department, or hand it over to a contractor that will manage it”

The Nigeria Federal Capital Administration has continued it’s drive to clean the Nigeria Capital City of Illegal settlements and markets that has become the bane of the fast growing city.

The FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation on Tuesday resumed the war against roadside trading, dislodging two illegal markets located at Federal housing junction and the popular car wash bus stop in Lugbe along the popular Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.

Over time, these markets are said to be contributing to the perennial traffic gridlock at Lugbe,  especially at peak hours of the day.

Speaking immediately after the exercise, Chairman,  FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation,  Ikharo Attah said the renewed war was a demonstration of commitment to holistic Sanitation along the  Airport Expressway, being one of the most strategic gateways  to the nation’s Capital.

He explained that the gateway into the city, as well as other parts of Abuja won’t be abandoned to recalcitrant traders, artisans and their collaborators who are bent on defacing every available space, just to satisfy their personal needs.

Attah, noted that having warned the traders and other violatros to desist from recovening the illegal markets, and other economic activities in an unapproved places, the committee’s taskforce has been briefed to start arresting offenders for prosecution.

He stated that apart from the health hazard which some of  the markets, directly located under high tension  electricity towers constitutes, the environmental nuisances of the traders’ activities can’t be tolerated there.

He reinstated the FCT Minister’s resolve to continue with the ongoing Sanitation , both within and outside the city centre.

In his words, ” It is very painful that these traders have returned here, after we have dislodged them and cleaned up this place. We shall continue with the exercise,  and henceforth anyone caught violating the FCT urban and regional planning rules in this place would be arrested and prosecuted “, Attah added.

Also speaking, the Secretary FCT Command and Control,  Peter Olumuji said the committee has equally taken into cognisance residents outcry over the constant criminal attacks at the EFCC Jabi office junction.

He noted that the red light zones for criminal elements have been identified around the Cashew plantation located at that junction, stating that security cleaning exercise have been scheduled to dislodge the criminals.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted three days cloudy and thundery weather conditions from Monday to Wednesday

NiMet`s weather outlook released  on Sunday in Abuja predicted cloudy skies on Monday, with intervals of sunshine over northern region, with prospects of isolated thunderstorms, over parts of Jigawa, Kano, Sokoto and Kebbi States during morning hours.

According to it, thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa and Kaduna States, later in the day.

”Early morning thunderstorms are expected over parts of Kogi, Kwara and Niger states, while the remainder of the central cities are expected to be cloudy with spells of sunshine during the morning hours.

”Thunderstorms are expected over parts of Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the afternoon and evening hours.

” Cloudy skies are anticipated over the inland and coastal cities of the South, with prospects of rains over parts of Southern Ondo, Oyo, Edo, Ogun, Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states during the morning hours.

”Later in the day, moderate rains are anticipated over parts of Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States,” it stated.

According to the agency, morning thunderstorms are expected over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi States on Tuesday.

It forecast thunderstorms over the Northwest, affecting parts of Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi States, as the day progresses.

It also forecast the North East to be cloudy with intervals of sunshine.

NiMet anticipated cloudy skies  over the North central region with prospects of early morning thunderstorms over parts of Niger and Kwara State.

”However, thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Kogi, Benue, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory, during the afternoon and evening hours.

”Cloudy skies should prevail over the inland and coastal cities of South with chances of morning rains over parts of Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States.

”Later in the day, there are prospects of moderate rains over Edo, Anambra, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Rivers States, ” it added.

The agency predicted thunderstorms over parts of Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi and Gombe, during the morning hours on Wednesday.

It envisaged chances of thunderstorms over parts of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina and Kaduna, later in the day.

NiMet predicted morning rains over the North central region, to include parts of Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory.

”Later in the day, there are prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Kogi, Plateau, Benue, Niger, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory.

”The inland and coastal cities of the South, should be predominantly cloudy, with chances of rains over parts of Enugu, Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross River, during the morning hours.

”Moderate rains are anticipated over parts of Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Delta, Lagos, Bayelsa, Cross River, Rivers and Akwa Ibom,”  it said. (NAN)