Commercial drivers and
operators of mini-vans popularly known as Araba on Tuesday protested the
ban of all unlicensed commercial transport operators within the
nation’s capital city by the Federal Capital Territory Administration
(FCTA).
Police officers and soldiers were deployed to ensure order and to quell the protest.
According to the FCTA, the ban is part of a new policy to decongest the city centre of vehicular traffic as the mini-vans are only allowed to operate within designated routes in the city center.
The secretary of the FCT Transport Secretariat; Mr Jonathan Ivoke explained that the new policy which was announced five months ago is not aimed at increasing unemployment or insecurity in the city.
He noted that the new initiative is neither a total ban on transport operators nor a means to worsen the plight of residents.
Commercial bus drivers have threatened to disrupt business activities and destroy the new high capacity buses in the city if the policy is not reversed.
Meanwhile hundreds of commuters were stranded on the busy Nyanya- Maraba road 24 hours after the new transport policy by the FCTA restricting the Arabas from plying the major roads within the city centre.
The feeder routes to be operated by mini buses include; Mombassa-Michael Okpara-Olusegun Obasanjo, MKO Abiola –Area One-Gudu- Apo Mechanic; Area One –Cement Market-Apo, Mechanic village and Jabi-Mbora –Kaura-Gudu Market.
Other routes include; Jabi-Mbora –SunCity- Apo Mechanic Village; Jabi-Mbora –Lugbe, Gwarinpa-Life Camp entrance First Gate, Bwari Town-Dutse Alhaji Expressway (ONEX), Kubwa Second Gate-First Gate and Mpape-Muritala Mohammed Junction.
Police officers and soldiers were deployed to ensure order and to quell the protest.According to the FCTA, the ban is part of a new policy to decongest the city centre of vehicular traffic as the mini-vans are only allowed to operate within designated routes in the city center.
The secretary of the FCT Transport Secretariat; Mr Jonathan Ivoke explained that the new policy which was announced five months ago is not aimed at increasing unemployment or insecurity in the city.
He noted that the new initiative is neither a total ban on transport operators nor a means to worsen the plight of residents.
Commercial bus drivers have threatened to disrupt business activities and destroy the new high capacity buses in the city if the policy is not reversed.
Meanwhile hundreds of commuters were stranded on the busy Nyanya- Maraba road 24 hours after the new transport policy by the FCTA restricting the Arabas from plying the major roads within the city centre.
The feeder routes to be operated by mini buses include; Mombassa-Michael Okpara-Olusegun Obasanjo, MKO Abiola –Area One-Gudu- Apo Mechanic; Area One –Cement Market-Apo, Mechanic village and Jabi-Mbora –Kaura-Gudu Market.
Other routes include; Jabi-Mbora –SunCity- Apo Mechanic Village; Jabi-Mbora –Lugbe, Gwarinpa-Life Camp entrance First Gate, Bwari Town-Dutse Alhaji Expressway (ONEX), Kubwa Second Gate-First Gate and Mpape-Muritala Mohammed Junction.
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