The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is on track to finalize governance frameworks that will ensure the relocation of Apo Mechanic Traders to their permanent site in Wasa District of the FCT before the end of 2026.

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike disclosed this on Tuesday, during a media parley at his official residence in Lifecamp, Abuja.

Responding to a question, the Minister said the basic infrastructure at the new relocation site in Wasa District has already been fully completed, explaining that a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was essential to ensure that government retains appropriate regulatory oversight over the area.

“That’s what we are working on. It’s not been easy when you have divisions among the trader associations. If we begin to give C of O directly, it becomes their property and the government may not have control. There is a need to have an MoU so that the government will also have control over it. I believe that before the end of the year, we would have sorted out the issues. Already, the infrastructure has been provided”, the Minister said.

Alongside the Apo mechanic update, the Minister also issued a strong call for residents and property owners in satellite settlements to regularize land allocations previously obtained through Area Councils. He reminded residents of the Supreme Court ruling that vested all FCT land authority exclusively in the FCTA, noting that thousands of residents have already successfully regularized their titles.

“No Area Council can allocate land to you—the Supreme Court has ruled that all lands in the FCT belong to the FCT Administration”, Wike stated.

“What we have done is to say: come and regularize it so that we will be able to issue you a Certificate of Occupancy. I have signed over 5,000 to 6,000 regularizations for Area Council lands already”, he added.

The Minister also disclosed that a similar human-centered approach was extended to residents of River Park Estate, where the FCTA intervened to grant C of Os to home buyers affected by expired leases and third-party developer disputes, preventing widespread financial loss for ordinary citizens.

Highlighting recent urban milestones, the FCT Minister identified the newly commissioned Abuja City Gate and rural water expansion projects as key priorities that directly impact the daily lives of residents. He noted that the rejuvenated City Gate has quickly become a vibrant community hub and point of civic pride.

To build on this momentum, the Minister disclosed that FCT Administration is advancing redevelopment plans for abandoned recreational spaces, including the Life Camp Recreation Centre and Jabi Lake Recreational Park.

He said the FCT will partner with the private sector to develop the Jabi Lake with firm construction deadlines.

Wike said; “That place (Jabi Lake) was given out 15 years ago to people who said they wanted to turn it to a recreation center but the place was overrun by shanties. How can you have a place for 15 years and nothing has happened. We can’t continue this way. What we are going to do now, we are going to enter a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure that they immediately start construction activities. Within this period, if they don’t finish it, we take back our land…. Government may not be able to do all these things and government needs to have private partners. That’s what we are doing at Jabi Lake.”

Regarding major capital projects in the FCT, the Minister reaffirmed a strict policy of cash-backing for all new contract awards to prevent stalled works, while noting that massive national monuments like the Millennium Tower project require direct federal budget interventions to ensure its completion and mitigate inflationary variations.

On the issue of the menace of commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke Napep) as well as public safety across the capital, the Minister disclosed the enforcement of the ban on riders, adding the FCT Security Council has approved targeted restrictions on Okada and Keke Napep in the City.

The Minister said security agencies have been instructed to map out central city districts where these vehicles will be strictly prohibited, while security personnel continue operations to clear illegal encampments and hideouts around areas such as Karmajiji in the Kukwaba District.

“Just this morning, I signed the approval. We had a security council meeting where we have agreed that it’s not just causing nuisance but for the issue of security, it has become a threat. I’ve told the security agencies to map out areas where we do not need Keke Napep and motorcycles, particularly within the city, But it will be difficult to ban them in the entire FCT”, the Minister stated.

He urged residents to remain patient as urban renewal efforts extend into additional districts, reminding citizens that timely tax compliance remains vital to sustaining Abuja’s ongoing infrastructure drive.

On the issue of car racing in residential areas, the Minister said the FCTA was working to ensure the safety of all residents and would not allow any group to jeopardise such safety. He said a committee has been set up to check the menace. (The Nation)

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