FCT Demolishes Gwarimpa Tipper Garage

Olawale Ajimotokan

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has demolished illegal markets and the Tipper garage in Gwarimpa Estate as part of the ongoing sanitation exercise to rid the city of slum and criminals.

The Chairman, FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, Ikharo Attah, who led the operations, said the exercise would be sustained for days.

He lamented that the illegal markets and Tipper garage had been turned into hiding places for criminals and other hoodlums.

He also stated that the perennial traffic gridlock in parts of Gwarimpa was as result of the activities of the illegal tipper garage operators.

He added that the sanitation exercise even more important, as it had corrected the contraventions of both AEPB and FCT Urban and Regional Planning laws, being committed by residents.

“We are removing illegal shanties markets and Tipper garage. The most painful thing is that the transit corridors have been taken over by shanty squalors.

“It is contravening Abuja Environmental Protection Board Act and the Urban and Regional Planning laws, “ he said.

He said notices and warnings about the demolition were given in January before final notice was issued last week.

Also speaking, AEPB Enforcement Leader, Kaka Bello, said that measures had been put in place to secure the reclaimed area, so as to avoid a return of the nuisances.

He also debunked the allegations that some undisclosed agents of AEPB were collecting unspecified amount of money as bribe to illegally occupy the places.

He further warned that people should stop falling to the schemes of unscrupulous agents who often parade themselves staff of AEPB , just to defraud the unsuspecting members of the public.