… Commence ridding under bridge of scavengers
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Federal Capital Development Administration, FCTA, has commenced reclaiming under bridges and subways in the Capital city to make way for viable and wholesale economic activities.
The clean up exercise which started on Tuesday at the bridge behind Abia House when the FCTA Monitoring and Enforcement headed by Deputy Director, Hassan Ogbole swept on scavengers and some criminals elements from their illegal abode.
Speaking to journalists after the exercise, Ogbole said that the clean up exercise was approved by the FCT Minister that they should be given to to put under bridges and subways into best use, that’s why we are here.
Ogbole said, ” this particular location has been recommended that the operator of this Park beside the bridge will take over the management of this under bridge.”
He said, ” so gone are those days when places recovered are not being put into effective use. Some of these subways and under bridges were proposed subject to the Minister’s approval that they should be given to relevant agencies and individuals, parks and commercial outfits who will manage them effectively. Especially for the subways which are commercially viable.”
The Monitoring and Enforcement team lead stated that the Abia House bridge is the first bridge clean up since the commencement, adding that there are about 10 bridges to clean up.
He disclosed that some of the challenges discovered by the Administration is that some of the pillars of the bridges have been exposed through the activities of the scavengers and some due to ecological factors. This is a big discovery for everybody.
He lamented that the issue of scavengers is a serious because they are all over the city.
The call for these scavengers- it is a very serious issue, they are all over the city.
The Secretary, FCT Command and Control Center, Peter Olumuji stated that the exercise was to carry out holistic clearing of under the bridges and subways because FCT Administration has it as a point of duty to ensuring that the security and lives and property of everyone in the FCT is sacrosanct.
“You can observe that people are complaining of activities of criminal elements within and under these bridges and most times after robbing victims from top , they dash down to these bridges to hibernate.”
” So we have decided to make under these bridges unconducive and hot for these criminals and that’s why we’re are out to ensuring we clear these bridges effectively.
Ogbole stated the Commissioner of Police has assured the FCT Administration that all bridges will be kept secured.
“It is not that we are displacing people but we are making use of these places as economic viable locations and the DPOs have assured the administration that they will give protection to everyone engaging in wholesome activities taking place here, Ogbole emphasized.
