The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered immediate shutdown of operation of Park and Pay scheme currently operating in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which he declared as illegal.
Penpushing reports that Wike made the declaration during a media parley on Wednesday in Abuja to commemorate his first anniversary in office, and also vowed to take swift action against the operation.
The Minister who was inaugurated as minister on August 21, 2023 by President Bola Tinubu recounted how a senior Nigerian lawyer alerted him to the dubious scheme, which had been syphoning government funds under the guise of a legitimate operation.
Penpushing further reports that Wike said the lawyer, whose name he did not disclose, contacted him after some individuals claiming to represent the Federal Capital Territory (FCT’s) Transport Secretariat attempted to seize vehicles from his (lawyer) office.
“A call from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria brought to light a scheme that has been syphoning government funds under the guise of a legal operation. The SAN told me, ‘Sir, some people came to our office, and they are trying to seize our cars. They claim to be from the Transport Secretariat’, he said.
Penpushing also reports that the minister equally narrated that when he spoke directly to the individuals, asking who they were, they claimed they were from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Transport Secretariat.
The Minister explained that alarmed by the situation, he sought clarification from the responsible official of the ministry, who told him that it had entered agreements with some consultants to reintroduce the scheme.
“I was unaware of this. So, I contacted the person in charge. I asked, ‘Who collects the money?’ To my surprise, I discovered that there are agreements between the Secretariat and certain individuals posing as consultants, where the consultant takes 80 per cent of the revenue, leaving only 20 per cent for the FCT Administration’, Wike added.
Penpushing reports that the Minister stated that the scheme exposes a significant flaw in the system, where private consultants are reaping the majority of the revenue intended for the government.
“These are issues we must tackle within the system. Without such reports, we may remain unaware. We cannot be everywhere at once. This is illegal, and such a scheme does not exist. If my colleague hadn’t called me, I wouldn’t have known’, he emphasised.
Penpushing further reports that the Pack and Pay policy, which requires motorists to pay fees for parking in designated areas, was in operation in the territory until it was scrapped in 2014 when Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court declared it illegal.
The Abuja motorists, before then repeatedly complained about the scheme, citing extortion and fraudulent practices by the companies that had contracted to enforce it, while at the time, four companies were engaged to collect the parking fees.
Penpushing also reports shortly before Wike shortly before he assumed office, in August 2023, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) signed an agreement with a group of concessionaires to restore the policy.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Permanent Secretary, who signed on behalf of the administration, said the move to reintroduce the policy was to promote a culture of orderliness and organisation in vehicle parking.
Penpushing reports that the Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)Transport Secretariat, Jonathan Ivoke, in May 2024 indicated that the policy’s suspension was temporary, adding that the transport regulation bylaw was under review and that the policy would be reintroduced once the review was completed.
The scribe stated that the new system would be more streamlined, with a universal card to be used across the territory, however, warned that, in the meantime, parking regulations would continue to be enforced without the associated fees.
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