By Philip Yatai

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has approved emergency work on Dogon Gida box culvert which is on the verge of collapse.

Mr Felix Abuah, the Coordinator Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

NAN reports that the FCT Emergency Management Department had on April 7, barricaded the box culvert, to avert loss of lives.

The culvert was on the access road that linked over 3,000 residents of Lokogoma village, popularly known as Dogon Gida community to Ring Road II.

Also, the community members lose their loved ones to flooding while trying to cross the culvert during the rainy season, due to the low elevation of the culvert.

Abuah explained that the minister’s approval was in response to the call to renew the hope of the affected commuters in line with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.

“I assure you, work will soon commence in that particular area,” he said.

NAN further reports that Mrs Florence Wenegieme, Director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation, FEMD, who barricaded the culvert, described its condition as a disaster waiting to happen.

She described the culvert as one of the vulnerable locations in the FCT, particularly to flooding during the rainy season.

Similarly, the Ward Head of Lokogoma Village, Mr Irimiya Kanpani, had appealed to the Federal Government, the FCT Minister and the Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council to come to their aid.

Kanpani explained that the culvert was constructed in 2016 through community efforts, adding that every year, the community members mobilised resources to maintain the culvert until it finally gave way.

According to him, there is no year that a community member does not lose a brother, a friend, a father, a mother, or a sister to flooding, while trying to cross the culvert during the rainy season. (NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

By Philip Yatai

The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Federal Capital Territory Administration, has declared war on vandals of manhole covers and streetlights in the territory.

The Coordinator of the council, Mr Felix Obuah, made this known in Abuja, while reacting to the unabated vandalism of manhole covers and gully inlet by hoodlums.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) introduced the use of materials with `no resale value’ in the production of manhole covers.

The move, according to the authority’s Head of Public Relations, Mr Richard Nduul, is to discourage criminal elements from stealing and selling them as scrap.

However, in spite of the efforts, vandals continued the heinous act, even when the covers do not have resale value.

The situation is disturbing that even the newly installed manhole covers of the B6 and B12 roads under construction on Independence Avenue in Central Area, Abuja, were being vandalised.

But Ubuah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, that AMMC had concluded plans to take the war to their doorstep to curb the trend.

He said “we want to let the vandals know that we are taking the war to their doorsteps.

“You can see the good roads that are being constructed by FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, unfortunately, most of the manhole covers were being carted away.

“Most of the streetlights have been vandalised. We are no longer going to take it lightly with them.”

He disclosed that a taskforce would be established to further strengthen the clampdown on the manhole cover and streetlight vandals.

He expressed optimism that the law would soon catch up with the vandals, their sponsors and those patronising them.

“I addressed the executives of Apo spare parts dealers, and I told them that they are part of the people fuelling criminal activities in the FCT.

“This is because, if the criminals stole the manhole covers and other electrical equipment and could not get buyers, they would not continue with such acts.

“I told them categorically that they are the major sponsors and financiers of the vandals and that if they can partner with government, most of these things will be a thing of the past.”

The coordinator urged residents to report any suspicious movement around manhole covers to the government. (NAN)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

By Philip Yatai

The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Federal Capital Territory Administration, says it will relocate Apo Mechanic Village and artisans loitering in the area to give way for road construction.

The coordinator of the council, Mr Felix Obuah, disclosed this during a meeting with the Apo Mechanic Village and Auto Spare Parts Dealers Association in Abuja.

Ubuah pointed out that the FCTA was constructing a road along the Apo mechanic village, adding however, that the road has been occupied by spare parts dealers and artisans.

He said that the relocation became necessary because a contract for the road construction had been awarded and work would begin in earnest.

He said that he had visited the area specifically to check the streets, the roads, and the artisans, and see how they could be taken off the streets and relocated.

“So, we went there to see for ourselves and see what we can do to relocate the occupants of the mechanic village and artisans who have taken over large portions of the roads.

“From there we went to Wasa to see the possibility of relocating the artisans out of the area to give the city its desired beauty,” he said.

The Chairman of the association, Mr Michael Ndubisi, said that the visit by the association was to pledge solidarity with the coordinator and extend a hand of partnership.

Ndubisi, who is also the Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Motor Mechanics and Technicians of Nigeria, promised to partner  the council for the development of Abuja city. (NAN)

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi