Over 500K Vehicles Enter Abuja City Daily – Minister
ABUJA, May 31, (THEWILL) - An estimated 500,000 vehicles from Abuja suburbs and neighbouring states enter the Federal Capital City through all major entry points on every working day of the week.
The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed who made this disclosure on Monday, while x-raying the transportation network of Federal Capital Territory with its entire attendant challenges noted that the figure is in the 2008 survey obtained from the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services.
The Minister said that out of these vehicles, between 200,000 and 300,000 come in through the Murtala Mohammed Expressway (Kubwa Road); between 200,000 and 300,000 come in through Nyanya/Karu road while between 100,000 to 200,000 come in through the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway (Airport Road) on every working day of the week.
According to him, about 170,000 out of these vehicles are retained circulating in the City thereby increasing the challenges of transportation traffic management in the Abuja metropolis.
Senator Mohammed expressed concern over the traffic bottlenecks on Abuja roads especially at peak hours on working days which impinge on productivity which at the long run will retard the wheel of economic growth and development.
He directed the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) which has the statutory responsibility of providing basic infrastructure to proffer immediate solution to the ugly trend at least by closing the gap of infrastructural deficit.
The Minister revealed that on the North Eastern entry/exit point of Nyanya/Karu, the FCT Administration is already working to get additional or alternative route into the Federal Capital City, Abuja.
He further revealed that the alternative which will come in from Karshi to Apo is already being prepared for procurement in order to ameliorate the sufferings of motorists a long that route.
Senator Mohammed reiterated that the construction of Roundabout, Two Flyover Bridges and associated works at the ISEX/Road CI at the A.Y.A junction being handled by Messrs Dantata Nig. Limited is 90 per cent complete.
The Minister stated that the construction of Flyover Bridge and road Channelization at Mogadishu Cantonment/Sunrise Hills Estate being handled by Messrs Setraco Nig. Limited is 17 percent complete.
His words: "The rehabilitation and expansion of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway (Airport Road) to 10 Lanes, Lots I & II by Messrs Julius Berger Nig. Plc is 17 percent and 30 percent complete respectively.
"The rehabilitation and expansion of Murtala Mohammed Expressway (Kubwa Road) to 10 Lanes Lot I being handled by Messrs Dantata Nig. Limited and Lot II being handled by Messrs CGC Nig. Limited is 23 percent and 16 percent complete respectively," he added.
He assured that the FCT Administration initiated all these gigantic projects to improve and make movements easy within the Federal Capital City as well as in and out of the Abuja metropolis by the motorists.
He called for understanding but urged motorist to all obey traffic rules and regulations to make the Federal Capital Territory a better place because Abuja is the window in which the World sees Nigeria.
The Minister also directed the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services to enforce all traffic regulations to the later; warning that no stone would be left unturned.