The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through the Department of Development Control, has served 24-hour demolition notices to operators of illegal market shanties in the Karmo and Dei Dei corridors. The exercise will affect 500 structures that have been marked for demolition.
The sector monitor and assistant director in the department, Mr. Garba Jibril, who led the exercise yesterday, said the affected owners had been served with several notices and that the director of development control, Mr. Mukhtar Galadima, had held a sensitization meeting with the stakeholders.
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He explained that demolishing the illegal structures was necessary because they constituted a nuisance on the road in addition to heavy traffic, especially on their market days, and that their activities were equally emitting environmental hazards, which the FCT administration frowns at.
The team leader also disclosed that the FCTA had awarded a contract for the Life Camp-Dei-Dei Road construction, saying that the traders’ continuous stay on the road corridor prevented the contractors from moving to the site.
According to him, the 24-hour notice is not to be played with, and those who refuse to comply will have themselves to blame.
He also said that the traders had been asked to move to the designated market called Karmo Market, adding that the market was fully developed and equipped with necessary facilities.
“But the traders have been reluctant to move. We have had several meetings with the relevant stakeholders, including traditional leaders in the area, to get them to move, but they remained adamant.
“We equally held a meeting with the traders and the new market operators, who promised to give the traders some incentives to accommodate them in the informal and main shops.
“We are hoping that after the demolition, there will be a successful relocation from the road corridor to the main market. This will not only maintain a serene environment but also ensure the free flow of traffic in the area,” he said.