In it’s commitment to holistic Sanitation, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, on Thursday removed shanties, illegal shops, under the high tension wire in Sauka, airport road corridor, and dislodged the illegal markets located at the entrance of Sauka community.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Minister, on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Comrade Ikharo Attah, who led the Team, said the renewed war was a demonstration of commitment to a holistic Sanitation along the Airport Expressway, being one of the most strategic gateways to Abuja.
According to Attah, “We came here to actually commence the cleanup of airport road, it is a multidimensional cleanup here. We need to remove some things impeding on the beauty of airport road corridor. Being Abuja gateway connecting the northern and southern wings .
“We have been able to get intense cooperation from the people living here especially the indigenous community. We cleared some potion where many person have left and filling the road. As well as working on the road a little subsequently, we also remove all attachments under high tension wires , you remember Kubwa that petrol disaster .
“We are hopeful that the work won’t be much because we are still going to clear the outside . We are hopeful to do what the FCT Minister directed us, that every activities should come inside the community, the illegal market must move to the main Sauka market.
“The Councillor and the youths have shown commitment , that they will ensure they move to the permanent market in order to pave way for free entery into the community,”.
On sustainability, Attah said, his team will continue to come back to ensure no illegal shops and shanties on the entrance of the community.
“We will always check it, and outside that, we are going to clear all the nuisances and all the illegal carparks and commence tree planting, immediately. All the illegal motor parks must move inside and Sauka will be a beautiful community.
” I didn’t count the number of illegal shops that were infringing on the roads and the illegal shops under the high tension wire that we removed.
The market, according to residents contribute to the perennial traffic gridlock at Sauka end of airport road.
“The residence of Sauka community would breath fresh air. It might be tough now but at the end everyone will be happy.
“Most people are happy, the owners of the shops are crying but the commitment from the Councillor, youths and Chief that these shops shall never come back . What we are doing now is to engage them , all those who built under high tension wire, is very painful , the Minister is not happy that we are doing this but we have a city to maintain. The airport corridor is a top priority for the Minister”.He lamented.
“The road is beautiful but because of the activities of the illegal market, made them digged sand from the road and erosion washed part of the top soil but we have graded it back to them. And now we are hoping that they will all work to have a beautiful road into Sauka , it may not be asphalt road for now so that we can have vehicles going a dual mode against one where shops have pushed into the road and the road and vehicle had to wait for one another especially in the evening when the holdup stretch up to the main road is unacceptable”.
A resident, an indigene of Sauka, Jubril Kasimu, commended the FCT for a job well done and assured the administration that the youths in the community will ensure the illegal shops and shanties do not resurface again.
He therefore assured all the other residents in Sauka that what the administration did was for their best interest.
