TheCable

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced the disengagement of the services of operators of taxi ranks and terminals in Abuja.

Ubokutom Nyah, the FCTA mandate secretary, transportation secretariat, made this known on Thursday during a stakeholders’ meeting with the terminals and taxi ranks managers in Abuja.

Nyah said the FCTA was left with no option but to terminate their services after they breached the agreement.

He ordered them to hand over the ranks to the administration within three months, starting from November 21.

The mandate secretary condemned the proliferation of “illegal motor parks” within the city and expressed the willingness of the administration to provide the capital city with appropriate taxi ranks and terminals.

He noted that a visit to the taxi ranks, terminals and illegal motor parks has availed him of firsthand information on the ugly state of the facilities.

Nyah added that the condition of the facilities he met could attract criminal elements.

He said Abuja, as the federal capital city, deserves better.

“We must rid Abuja of all these. I have gone round the taxi ranks, and of all the places I visited, not one is worthy to be called even a village motor park,” Nyah said.

The mandate secretary explained that the decision was not meant to victimise but to reposition the sector, bring new terms of engagement and provide the federal capital with modern taxi ranks and terminals.

According to him, the decision will increase the number of terminals and ranks where necessary and improve the revenue profile for the administration.

He said the administration is willing to consider operators who have the capacity to develop the taxi ranks and terminals in line with the new vision of the FCTA.

Nyah said the FCTA has concluded plans to refurbish the taxi ranks and terminals to a standard befitting the federal capital.

He explained that the measure was part of efforts to free Abuja of illegal motor parks and the criminalities associated with them.

Adebisi Lawal, operator of Jahi taxi rank, commended the administration’s decision to revamp the ranks and terminals.