FCTA May Shut Down Area 1 Market Over Filth

By: Wisdom Acka

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has threatened to shut down Area 1 Shopping Complex over offensive activities that have made the area dirty and unhealthy.

Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu Shuaibu made this threat when he visited the market with other senior officials of the Administration on Monday to ascertain the genuineness of several complaints being received about the place.

The Coordinator noted that as the first mall in the nation’s capital, the shopping complex needed to maintain desired standards and sanity.

Shuaibu regretted that though the market has designated places for different purposes, traders had thwarted the whole plan, even as he insisted the Administration would take stringent measures as soon as the committee set up to review the situation submit its report.

“The committee comprises of FCT strategic agencies, departments and secretariats. So, as soon as the committee finishes it work, we will commence enforcement. Some structures will be removed while others relocated,” he added.

His words:”We are in the market on a fact finding mission because of the several reports and complaints we have been receiving. The whole place has been littered especially by the informal sector. There are areas reserved for walkways -pedestrian and parking. And this area must be used according to what we earmarked it for.”

“With the offensive activities here, we are going to restore sanity by removing all the illegalities. The places that require relocation and removal will all be addressed”, he said.

Shuiabu observed that all informal sectors in the area have been littering the entire place without taking into account the significance of best hygiene practices.

On his part, Director, Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, said that his men would not waste time in moving in bulldozers to pull down all illegal structures in the market for cleaning.