By Remi Johnson
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has assured that car owners that are not profiled by Security Agencies will no longer be allowed to operate as taxi drivers in the territory from January 2025.
Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike gave this assurance in Abuja when he gave out 80 number of brown new Buses and SUV’s free of charge to empower 80 Abuja youths drawn from the six area councils of the territory.
Wike who explained that the vehicles are to serve as pilot models for a functional and secured transportation system in Abuja, restricted their operations to Maitama, Asokoro and Guzape districts.
According to the Wike, the Renewed Hope Buses beneficiaries have all been profiled by security for safety of residents, as well as to reduce cost of transportation in the territory.
Wike who further explained that the gesture is targeted at creating jobs to address youths idleness and joblessness; pointed out that alot of people abroad are making good money from taxi business to pay their bills and feed their families.
“From January next year (2025 ) nobody will operate as taxi driver or bus driver in FCT without getting approval from Security , and the (Vehicle) with Abuja colour. From January 2025 we will not allow that…Abuja should compete with other cities in the world.
“Most of the Keke Napep and Motorcycle riders are informants. Everybody here that is a beneficiary is been profiled by security.
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not the first President to occupy FCT, but let’s tell ourselves the truth, he is the first President who said we can’t continue to talk about Administration without the women and youths involvement. And that is why he created the FCT Women Affairs, and created the Youth Secretariat” Wike said.
The FCT Minister who announced that President Tinubu always approve and releases any request made by FCTA, clarified that the 10billion naira approval for youth empowerment will not be spent on conferences, but on impactful projects that all Youths will benefit from.
“We are not giving youths 10bn, but, Mr President has approved 10bn for the empowerment of youths… I will not approve one naira for any conference or conferences. “
Wike said more flag off of projects will begin in the next two weeks, while the month of December will be used for commissioning of other completed projects.
“Those who are not happy should hang the transformer. “
In a remark, the Former Governor of Abia State, Okezie IKpeazu commended the FCT Minister for initiating youth empowerment from the transportation sector lens.
IKpeazu tasked beneficiaries not to See the vehicles as a piece of national cake, but as a ladder for wealth creation to reach greater heights.
“The socio- economic impact of today’s event is in four folds, security will be addressed, people will migrate from joblessness to some sustainable jobs, economy of FCT and indeed Nigeria will receive a boost.
” This initiative is very rare. The roads can be beautiful, the bridges can be in place, but people need to drive on them; and that is what you have done ” Ikpeazu said.
On his part, Mandate Secretary, Youth Development Secretariat, Abdullahi Ango thanked the FCT Minister for renewing the Hope of the teaming youths in the nation’s Capital.
“There is turn around in FCT. Today we are here to witness a Renewed Hope Youth Empowerment. The Minister has approved the distribution of 80 vehicles… The initiative will end vices, unemployment in FCT. We have never seen this in FCT.
” The formula used by the committee set up to look into the distribution is free from ethnic chauvinism, regional jingoism, religious bigotry… All the people of FCT regardless of religion, area council, indigenes or residents are captured ” Ango said