Reps quizz FCTA over 'park and pay' policy

The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has quizzed the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over the reintroduction of the ‘park and pay’ policy in the territory.

In an interactive session with Chinedum Elechi, Mandate Secretary in charge of the Transportation Secretariat, the committee chaired by Rep Muktar Aliyu Betara, asked the officials to explain how the policy was brought back after a court had earlier declared it illegal.

The committee lamented that residents and motorists in the nation’s capital were being harassed by those employed to enforce the policy.

Daily Trust reports that FCTA reintroduced the park and pay policy into the nation’s capital in August, 2023, after signing an agreement with two concessionaires.

The policy was suspended in April 2014 after a high court judgement stopped the FCTA from collecting fees from residents for on-and-off the street parking within the metropolis. The court ruled that the policy was not backed by law.

However, at the session, Betara demanded details of how the reintroduced park and pay arrangement was established, who authorised it, and how remittances were being made to the coffers of the FCTA.

Responding, Elechi said the policy was regulated and supported by a legal framework and that only designated areas serve as parking zones.

“The park and pay is by regulation. We have a legal framework. It is part of the ways of controlling traffic. So, under the park and pay, designated areas are meant to be parks. So, it is legal.

“It is (revenue) paid through concessionaires. There is usually a ratio between the concessionaires and the FCT. So, for areas where we have the concessionaires, there is a percentage that goes to the concessionaires. It is 60 percent and 40 percent goes to FCT. The infrastructures for the work is usually provided by the concessionaire. It (revenue) goes straight to the revenue account of the FCT not transportation,” Elechi said.

The committee chairman queried the mandate secretary about the contract process.

“How was the contract established? In appointing your concessionaires, what procedure did you follow? How much has been remitted to the FCDA from January to date? Who gave you the approval,” Betara asked.

Responding, Hussaina Olayemi, the Director of Legal Services of the Transport Secretariat, explained that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Abuja Investment Company (AIC), the FCT organisation responsible for public-private partnerships, were involved.

“After their involvement, the concession was submitted to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval. So, we have the FEC approval,” Olayemi stated.

The committee criticized the FCDA for allocating 60 percent of revenue to concessionaires while the government received only 40 percent, demanding clarification on what infrastructure the concessionaires are providing.

Replying, the mandate secretary stated that the concessionaire was responsible for marking roads. However, the committee chair countered, asserting that no roads in Abuja had been marked by the concessionaire.

The committee ruled that on the next appearance, the mandate secretary should bring a copy of the agreement with the concessionaires and details of the remittances received from January to date.

In the same vein, the committee also questioned the officials over abandoned motor parks in the nation’s capital.

Paschal Agbodike, a member of the committee, specifically expressed concerns over the deplorable condition of the Nyanya motor park.

“When motorists don’t have parks, they operate anyhow. We noticed that the Nyanya park has been abandoned. When are you going to address this, and what caused its abandonment?” He asked.

In response, Elechi said the park had not been abandoned, adding that the government was taking one project at a time, with initial focus on rails.

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