FCT Minister orders installation of directional signs, road markings

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello has directed the FCT Transportation Secretariat to fast-track road markings and the installation of directional signs at major roads in the territory.

Bello gave the directives when he paid official visit to the Transportation Secretariat and its allied agencies on Monday in Abuja.

He said providing those vital directional signs are necessary to make the roads easily navigable and safer.

In keeping with this administration’s focus on service efficiency, Bello, while addressing the management stressed the need for the secretariat to overhaul its business process.

This, he said, is with a view to achieving a cutting edge, operational efficiency and technologically sound operational architecture.

Our correspondent reports that the minister visited the dumpsite for impounded tricycles in Durumi, the Auto Pond, Recycling Plant in Gosa and the Taskforce Area Command in Wuye.

He directed the secretariat to digitalize the documentation of scrapped vehicles for efficient data management and accountability, while harping on the necessity to keep the dumpsites clean.

Bello also charged the officers to always give owners of the impounded vehicles enough time to come forward to claim the seized vehicles before they are scrapped.

According to the minister, this is necessary to ensure observance of the rule of law.

He urged the management to be more innovative, and ensure financial prudence to meet the demand of transportation management in a growing city like Abuja.

Earlier, the Secretary, Transportation Secretariat, Kayode Opeifa, informed the minister that the workers are working hard to reposition the secretariat for a more efficient operation.

Opeifa underscored the critical role of transportation in the effort of the government to revitalize the economy.

“Transportation and mobility are the life-wire of any city and no government can afford to toy with it,’’ he added.

The secretary appealed to the minister to approve additional Department of Policy and Planning as a central command centre for evolving transportation policies in the territory.

According to him, the secretariat has five departments for now, namely, Departments of Transportation, Engineering, Road Traffic Services, Bus Rapid Transport, and Administration and Finance.

Opeifa commended the efforts of the Engineering Department of the Secretariat in ensuring the completion of the phase one of the FCT Light Rail Project.

He noted that the secretariat is saddled with the mandate of transportation planning, policy and execution.

Others, he said, include ensuring that all necessary transport infrastructure in the city are working as well as traffic management and movement within the FCT.