The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued orders for the demolition of a cinema house, shops, eateries, and other illegal structures operating within taxi ranks in Abuja.
The directive, aimed at creating space for legal taxi operations, was enforced by the Directorate of Road Transport Services (DRTS) in collaboration with security agencies.
At the demolition exercise in Area 3 and Banex Junction Taxi Ranks, the DRTS team, led by Deborah Osho, Head of Operations, cleared unauthorized establishments, including a car wash, mechanic workshop, cinema house, and eateries.
Osho emphasised that the move aims to provide designated spaces for taxis to operate within ranks, discouraging the proliferation of illegal taxi parks and addressing safety concerns associated with “one chance” operators.
She added that a temporary taxi rank around Eagle Square has been allocated to address the issue of illegal parks near the Federal Secretariat.
The decision to take action followed a meeting with transport stakeholders to address the challenges posed by illegal taxi parks across the city.
She stated, “On Monday, the DRTS invited all the stakeholders in the transportation sector for a meeting, and one of the resolutions was to clear the tax ranks for taxis to operate inside the ranks.
“We have equally handed over a space around Eagle Square for taxi operators to use as temporary taxi rank, to stop the menace of illegal parks around the Federal Secretariat.
“We are prepared to clean all taxi ranks in 2024, to ensure that motorists board taxis inside the taxi ranks and not outside.
“This in the long run, will address the menace of ‘one chance’ in the city,” she added.
Stressing on the issue, Dr. Peter Olumuji, Secretary of the Command and Control Centre, Department of Security Service, FCTA, highlighted that the absence of secure taxi ranks contributes to the occurrence of “one chance” incidents.
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He expressed confidence that clearing illegal structures would allow more taxis into the ranks, ensuring commuters’ safety.
Olumuji articulated, “One chance happens when people do not have a secured taxi rank to board vehicles.
“We have gone round with DRTS officials; we noticed that most of the taxi ranks were occupied by people that were not meant to be there and not given room to taxi owners to use the space.
“But as we clear these illegal structures, more vehicles will be coming into the ranks, so that commuters will be able to board safe and secured taxis to their various destinations.”
To sustain the effort, Olumuji called for additional personnel and vehicular assets for the DRTS to effectively cover all areas of the city in maintaining clean and secure taxi ranks.