THE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said it would arraign owners of 149 impounded vehicles, 100 tricycles and motorcycles in the FCT, before a mobile court for various traffic offences.
Director of the FCTA Directorate of Road Traffic Services, also known as Vehicles Inspection Officers (VIO), Abdulateef Bello, made this known in Abuja on Friday, September 22, following the inspection of the impounded vehicles.
During his visit to some VIO Commands housing the impounded vehicles, tricycles, and motorcycles, Bello emphasized that the owners would face the consequences for their offences.
He outlined the offences: unauthorized parking, driving against traffic, engaging in unregistered and unpainted taxis, and operating illegal motor parks.
According to him, commercial motorists have been asked to register and operate within the defined routes and motor parks and refrain from picking passengers indiscriminately from the road corridors.
“We have also told the tricycle operators to operate within the confines of the road plan, already agreed upon.”
He added, “They are not supposed to come into the city. They are supposed to transport people that are going into estates and towards suburbs of the city,” he said.
He said traffic regulations had been reviewed, adding that fines would be reviewed equally.
The VIO boss noted that the traffic offenders would pay hugely when they face mobile court, adding that such punishments would deter future violations.
He also disclosed that the directorate was collaborating with the Transport Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to assess current road traffic policies on traffic control.
According to him, this will ensure effective regulation of road traffic management.
Bello added that until the Abuja Mass Transit becomes fully operational to meet the needs of commuters, the directorate would continue to battle with unregistered vehicles operating illegally in the city.
“This is because it is a function of demand and supply, but I am sure in no distant time, all these will be a thing of the past,” he said.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M