The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is set to take more decisive actions on commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada, and open grazing in Abuja.
Speaking at the weekend after a tour of some ongoing projects in the FCT, Wike said he would ban the okada operation as soon as an efficient means of transportation for the people is provided.
Wike said violators of the Okada ban would be dealt with in the foreseeable future instead of the administration crushing motorcycles impounded in restricted areas.
He said, “We did not take a firm decision because we have not been able to provide the buses that will be the alternative for the people.
It is within the government’s responsibility to provide the alternative and then ask the motorcycle operators to leave the city centre.
“This is so that you don’t ask them to leave, and people will be suffering. No”.
The former Governor of Rivers State stated that he would also consult with relevant stakeholders to effectively enforce the ban on open cattle grazing.
He added: “Before we take any decision, we will do proper consultations so that nobody will say you never alerted them, you never interacted with them before you took that decision.
“We are going to call the cattle people to sit with them. We cannot allow things to go on like this. We didn’t say that there will be no cattle in Abuja but within the city. Like I said, we will take it one after the other.
“You know Nigerians are used to ‘nothing will happen’. Just like when we talk about land revocation and payment of ground rent, and people say it will not happen, but it has happened.
“Even you (journalists), disseminating the information, you must disseminate the information in such a way that you are not trying to cause crises between the government and members of the public.”
