The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Traffic Management Task Team, on Monday, evacuated over 800 roadside traders in Kubwa to ensure the free flow of both the vehicular and pedestrian movement within the city centre.
Its Chairman, Mr Ikharo Attah, who addressed newsmen after the evaluation, vowed to maintain the tempo, warning the traders to comply with the laid down Abuja Master Plan.
He said the team commenced the removing and burning of all the debris of woods and stalls the traders were using to clog the area around 11 pm on Sunday and ran through the early hours of Monday to avoid creating an unnecessary scene that would further compound traffic woes of motorists and commuters going to work.
Mr Attah said Kubwa, being one of the biggest satellite towns in the territory with burgeoning population of civil servants and other residents, could not be abandoned to suffer unprecedented traffic mismanagement.
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According to him: “The roadside traders’ activities that stretched up to the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) and Kubwa-Maitama Ultra Modern Market have been dislodged to allow free traffic flow along that axis.
“We commenced the operation at about 11 pm Sunday night and it lasted till the early hours of this morning. During the traffic clean up exercise, we removed sundry nuisances at the NNPC and NYSC Junctions at Kubwa. Specifically, we removed wooden slabs used by the roadside that sell on top of drainages.
“What shocked me most is the fact that a good number of the traders selling on the road for years own shops inside the market but prefer to sell on the road which was what they love doing.
“The rot in this area must not be allowed to return since the minister is demonstrating a strong political will to address traffic problems across the city,” explained.
Also speaking, the Head, Enforcement Operations of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Mr Kaka Bello expressed concern over the traffic situations in the area.
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