FCTA set to enforce ban on sales of alcohol in Abuja parks

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has come to warn operators of Parks in the FCT that the parks are meant for the protection of green areas in the city, beautification and relaxation of citizens in a peaceful environment, and never to serve as drinking joints and drug peddling. The Administration also directed operators of Parks across the territory to restrict their activities between the hours of 8am to 7pm.

The coordinator Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) Umar Shuaibu announced the decision in a briefing on Wednesday. He said the enforcement is on the sideline of the implementation of FCT park policy that prohibit unwholesome activities.

According to him, the enforcement slated for next week will enable the administration to have data on Parks and checkmate their activities, especially the ones that violate the laws.

Shuaibu explained that parks are meant for the protection of green areas of the city, beautification and relaxation of the residents and not drinking joints and drug peddling.

“Parks are meant for the protection of green areas in the city, beautification and relaxation of the citizens in peaceful environment, they are never created to serve as drinking joints and drug peddling.

“All park operators are reminded that the park policy regulations for their activities stipulate that their daily operation must end at 7.00 pm. As the rights of the neighbours for protection against excessive noise must be sacrosanct.

“Again, park operators must ensure that they submit their plans for approvals signed by the Development Control before they commence development. They also must develop in line with the approval granted and the provisions as stipulated by the development regulations” Shuaibu said.

The administration also directed the FCT Department of Parks and Recreation to recover all outstanding park revenues owed government from the operation of all recreational parks in the territory.

In her contributions, the Director of FCT Parks and Recreation, Riskatu Abdulazeez said: “The 2019 FCT park policy is now fully operational, we are calling on the operators to pay their outstanding bills, before the policy came into existence there was the suspension of the revenue collection but now is on.

“We have discussed with the operators, we asked them to come up and pay but they have not started. So, for those who are yet to come and pay their outstanding, to pay in bulk won’t be easy for them but let them pay in instalments, because of COVID-19 we have waived the year 2020 even in 2021, only 50% is expected” she said.

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FCTA set to enforce ban on sales of alcohol in Abuja parks