By Salisu Sani-Idris
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it will begin to enforce traffic rules and regulations on Abuja Southern Parkway by Monday to ensure that motorists adhere to its proper usage.
Chief Press Secretary to the FCT, Mr Anthony Ogunleye in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Development Authority (FCDA), Umar Jibrin, made the disclosure after inspecting the road.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that southern parkway, in the Abuja Master Plan, formed the major spine of the capital city.
It is also one of the longest roads from Central Business District traversing all four phases of the city with facilities like streetlights, recreational, café centres and under passes among others.
The road was designed to complement the Northern Parkway, the major arterial running across Mabushi.
The executive secretary explained that the decision to open the road was reached following the substantial completion of the southern parkway, adding that, many road signage had been provided to guide motorists.
He said the series of conflicts being experienced on the road were as a result of motorists moving in wrong directions.
Jibrin also said that officials of the Road Traffic Services as well as the FCT Transport Secretariat would be deployed to the road by Monday to ensure compliance.
The FCDA boss, therefore, advised motorists to pay adequate attention to the road signs that had been placed on the road as guide.
“The minister has asked that we should commence enforcement and we are going to do that by Monday, March 9.
”First and foremost, you will see that a lot of signage have been placed along the road.
”This has been there since December 2019, we have had this in place for people to understand that eventually, this is the way this movement will be,” he said.
Jibrin further explained that movement on the road was mainly in one direction, adding that the road does not provide for driving in reverse direction.
”So, from Monday, March 9 vehicular movement on the southern parkway will be in one-way rotational mode.
”This means that all motorists coming from Muhammadu Buhari Way wishing to access ICRC, Shagalinku restaurant, FCTA and FCDA Secretariat toward Jaiz Bank must comply.
”And Benue House junction will keep to the right lane and then turn at Silverbird Entertainment Centre (Shoprite) by Yar’adua Centre and Sheraton Hotel and Towers moving straight toward the National Mosque, CBN Headquarters, Christian (Ecumenical) Centre to again access NTA, FCTA/FCDA, Shagalinku restaurant or proceed to access Area 8 through Muhammadu Buhari Way.
”Eventually, when the bridge is concluded on Muhammadu Buhari Way, you can move over there and crossover up to Nnamdi Azikiwe, which we call Ring Road One.
”If you want to do a U-turn and come back for whatever reason, you can do that at the traffic light and then you also come in through the other side of it and then you can head on to ICRC and on to the other FCTA headquarters”.
He urged people to be very observant, adding that the signs had been there for long.
The Acting Secretary, FCT Transport Secretariat, Mrs Alice Odey-Achu, noted that the directional signs, which had been placed on the road for several months should be adequate guide for motorists.
She said that officials of the FCT transport secretariat would be on ground to show motorists the correct way in case they missed the directional signs.
“I think that the sign should be enough for people who are drivers. But we will still have our men on the way guiding us, reminding us that there are road signs to observe,” she added.
”A massive publicity and public enlightenment campaign is expected to commence to properly guide motorists,” she added. (NAN)
