About 33 percent of land on the Abuja master plan is earmarked for green areas which includes parks and recreational centres in the city. That allocation also explains why almost all districts in the Federal Capital Territory have parks for the relaxation of residents and visitors alike.
But over time, illegal activities have taken over many parks in the heart of the federal capital city. They have been converted to among others, mechanical workshop, beer parlours as well as shanties where people reside due to lack of accommodation or high rent.
It is consequent upon this misapplication that the FCT Administration, under the Department of Parks and Recreation, has embarked on a rehabilitation of parks in Abuja and sensitization to evacuate all illegal activities going on in the parks.
The Parks and Recreation Department holds the mandate to ensure and enhance development, management and operation of parks and green areas, open spaces and other recreational sites in the FCT. These also include wildlife reservations and other environmentally historic scenic sites.
In an interview, the director FCT Parks and Recreation Department, Mr. Ali Ukele, told Daily Trust that the FCT Administration has embarked on a sensitization on parks in Abuja to recover all designated green areas, parks and other recreational centres which land uses had been changed to be reverted to the initial purpose.
He explained that one of the missions of the park policies is to create a humane environment in a green garden city setting which will sustainably promote and provide adequate parks, green and open space resources and recreational sites for the present and future FCT residents, visitors and tourists alike.
It is also aimed at promoting effective planning, greening, landscaping, beautification, administration and management of the parks, green areas of the FCT in line with the Abuja master plan.
“We don’t encourage parks being converted to beer palours and pepper soup joints and that is where you will also find most illegal activities going on, when a park is not properly maintained by the manager. It is on this note that Parks and Recreation Department seals and revokes the licence of parks management involved in unauthorised activities.
“So only activities within the green belt would be focused on for the purpose of protecting the city from environmental problems and for recreational purpose,” he said.
One of the major functions of the department is to liaise with other departments for the identification, planning, classification and documentation for the development and management of parks, green areas, open spaces and other recreational sites for the well-being, biodiversity and ecotourism purpose in the federal capital city, he said.
