In Abuja, the practise of selling goods on the street has been made illegal by Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. According to Wike, street vendors, including those selling maize, are a contributing factor in the rise of crime and instability in the city.
This announcement was made by the former governor of Rivers State during a meeting with the management staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority. He encouraged the management staff to place a higher priority on doing what is ethically acceptable.
“The most important thing for us to do is to make sure that Abuja is restored to how it should have been. As I explored the city of Abuja, I discovered that the majority of its neighbourhoods are completely dark.
“What we need to do is to ensure that light comes back as soon as possible,” he said.
Wike issued an order for the immediate cleaning of Abuja, and he added, “If you are in charge of sanitation, I will call you at any time of the day.”
He issued a stern warning that he would not think twice about dismissing any official who did not live up to his rigorous standards of cleanliness. He also stated that it would be against policy for motor parks to operate in areas where they were not authorised to do so.
He continued by saying, “Trading on the street is illegal. People who are selling maize will throw their waste wherever they want, and the presence of these things is what contributes to the feeling of insecurity. Criminals come to buy, but they also use this opportunity to spy on other criminals and pass on information to them. It is imperative that we get rid of the street vendors.
“Development control is a critical problem area that needs to be addressed immediately. Why are there buildings that aren’t supposed to be there and shanty towns everywhere? Any structure that violates the law will be brought down by us. It doesn’t matter how high up you are, the structure will fall’, he emphasised once more.
