NEWSNOW

FCTA to citing permanent grazing reserve in Abuja

Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has come out to say that it has put modalities in place to cite a permanent grazing reserve in Abuja, the nation’s capital, in order to end open cattle grazing.

Director of the Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday when he led the task force that dismantled illegal car dealers who have taken over pedestrian walkways and a notorious neighbourhood roadside market in Area 1 residential area, suspected to have provided cover to stranded criminal elements.

The enforcement operations carried out by a combined team of several security agencies, the Development Control team, and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board ( AEPB) were said to be part of measures to restore sanity to that part of the city centre.

“The issue of cattle is discussed at a higher level, where a permanent grazing reserve will be provided by the FCT Administration, in such a way that they will never run across the city, I know I have seen in several instances AEPB has arrested some of these cattle and their rearers, it’s something that it has been looked at, at the higher level”. He stated.

Galadima further added the notorious roadside market will never be allowed to reconvene, while all the vehicles that were impounded have been taken into custody by the enforcement squad of the Directorate of Road Traffic Service (DRTS).

According to him, while FCTA wants to integrate the informal economic forces, especially the petty traders and micro entrepreneurs, the environmental health and safety will not be compromised.

He disclosed that plans were underway to provide a well-planned alternative informal market for genuine petty traders who were affected by the cleaning exercise.

He said: “This exercise is a continuation of ongoing city sanitation and automatising the hygienic of the Federal Capital City (FCC).

“We are going to consider the petty traders and review some of those policies to see how they can fit in best because they also contribute to the city’s economy.”

READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE