TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
Ahead of the celebration of Eld-el Kabir by the Moslem faithful, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has prohibited proliferation of illegal markets within the city.
The Chairman, FCT Ministerial TaskForce on City Sanitation, Comrade Ikharo Attah while speaking on behalf of the administration during a sensitization campaign to the Markets Wednesday in Abuja, stated that, FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, frowned at the proposal of the ram dealers to create such markets, to avoid abuses of the city’s aesthetic make-up which gulps energy and resources to maintain.
He stated that, the administration cannot allow the gains of the ongoing city aggressive sanitation to be swept under the carpet by such illegal markets, which going by hindsight has serious sanitation and environmental consequences on the city.
He further stated that, “FCTA has approved ram markets at Kugbo, Dei- Dei and all the Abattoirs within the city where both those selling and buying rams and other animals can interface for their trade”.
He also stated that, the Minister was also considering the option of creating a temporary selling points at some outskirts locations, where ram dealers could use and two days after the celebration, the places will be dismantled and disinfected.
Attah further hinted that Ram dealers who defies the directive to sell at the illegal markets would have their rams confiscated and distributed to orphanage homes, prisons and other vulnerable persons.
He stated that a Mobile Court will sit to try violators and an order of permanent forfeiture would be sought over confiscated rams, while convicted violators will face the law.
His words; ” The Minister of FCT, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello in his decision as the manager of the city, said we should not allow indiscriminate ram markets to come around every corner within the city during this Sallah period.
” The Minister said there are approved selling points within the FCT, the Dei-Dei ram markets, Kugbo and some of the markets within the Abattoirs. Also we have approached the minister on the need to have designated selling points, because the rams coming into the city during the celebration may overwhelm these approved markets.
” we will not be allowing every street to have ram markets, especially at the hearts of the city. We have warned those involved in the illegal markets to desist, because any ram we found in the illegal markets will be confiscated and the Mobile Court will sit for us to apply for permanent forfeiture for the rams. The rams will be given to those in, orphanage homes and others”, Attah said.
Earlier, the Chairman, Ram Market, Salisu Liaman said its a welcome but the administration should provide a selling point for them to sell.
Saying, most of the ram markets has been overwhelmed
