METRO Minister charges DRTS, others to tame violators of traffic rules, regulations

road accidents in the country.

According to him, it is quite disheartening to see drivers (in total disregard for road rules and regulations) drive right through red lights as if the lights were either non-existent or that the rules do not in any way apply to them.

He added that even worse is the nonchalance of some drivers who have formed the unhealthy habit of driving against the traffic often with very unpleasant consequences, saying that a recalcitrant driver not only endangers his or her life but also those of the passengers and other road users as well.

Stressing the need for residents to comply with all rules regulating road usage in the FCT, the Minister said it is also imperative that they join in this crusade to ensure safety on FCT roads by ensuring that drivers obey traffic rules at all times.

Commenting on DRTS online registration platform, he said it is a part of the Administration’s overall ease of doing business strategy will not only save countless man hours, but also tremendously improve the overall motoring experience for drivers in the FCT.

“Leveraging technology in this manner is therefore unavoidable in order to improve efficiency within the system and it is our intention to deploy similar measures for other service providing sectors of the FCT Administration as well.

“On our part the FCT Administration will continue to place road safety and proper traffic management services on the front burner of its development agenda and I call for the cooperation of all road users in the FCT to make our roads as safe as they can be”, the Minister stressed.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the DRTS Director, Dr. Bello Abdul-lateef, opined that the introduction of the Self-Service vehicle registration portal in the FCT will be a game changer for motor vehicle registration with all the multiplier advantages.

He said: “Online Vehicle registration will allow a client to register his or her vehicles from the comfort of their homes in real-time; It reduces multiple registration of vehicles as this will further strengthen the integrity of the FCT database.

“Furthermore, unwholesome activities as well as touting and other human errors will be drastically reduced to the barest minimum; it will be time and energy saving; and It will in no doubt, stimulate revenue generation as all leakages are drastically reduced”.

Fire Disaster: FCT Fire Service takes awareness to resident

By Stanley Onyekwere

Disturbed by the recurring fire incidents in parts of the nation’s capital in recent time, the FCT Fire Service has commenced intensive sensitisation of residents, aimed at to reducing the menace, in order to save life and property.

Acting director, FCT Fire Service, Engr Sani Saidu, noted that there are over 20 cases of fire outbreaks in the area alone, from January to the end of February this year.

Speaking during one of the exercise held, in Dutsen Alhaji community in Bwari area council yesterday, Saidu explained that the sensitisation exercise was meant to address the frequent fire outbreaks in Dutsen Alhaji community and other communities in the area.

Saidu, who was represented by Head of fire prevention and protection unit of the service, Timveh Jeremiah, bemoaned that the access road into the community has been blocked by traders, hawkers and Okada riders, making it difficult for the fire service trucks to access the community anytime there are fire incidents or other emergencies in the area.

He called on the Hakimi of the community, to warn residents of the area against blocking the only access road into the community, adding that the sensitisation exercise would continue in other communities in the area.

Responding, the Hakimi of Dutsen Alhaji, HRH Alhaji Abbubakar Bako, thanked the FCT Fire Service for organizing the sensitisation exercise in the community, adding that the would help reduce frequent fire outbreaks in the area.

Represented by the Waziri of the community, Mallam Ibrahim Sarki, Bako, however, called on the FCT administration to help in removing all structures and obstructions, as well as all those blocking the access road into the community.

The sensitisation exercise, which took place at the palace of the Hakimi of Dutsen Alhaji, attracted residents of the area, including the village heads and leaders in the community.

2023 Hajj: FCT MPWB adopts measures against “no-show” passengers during airlift

By Stanley Onyekwere

The FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board (MPWB) is to sanction intending Pilgrims who deliberately miss their flight schedules during airlift for this year’s hajj operation.

The Director of the Board, Mallam Abubakar Adamu Evuti disclosed this at meeting with Islamic Scholars mobilized to conduct the education and orientation exercise for the 2023 intending pilgrims from the FCT.

Mallam Evuti said the attitude of some Intending Pilgrims who refuse to come out for airlift would no longer be tolerated as such behaviour destabilizes the arrangement for the operations.

The Director disclosed that the Board would introduce measures against such behaviours, among which is, each Intending Pilgrim would be given a chance to select the flight he or she intends to travel to Saudi Arabia.

He stressed that any Intending Pilgrim who refuses to come out for the airlift after being scheduled in such flight would be sanctioned in line with international travel standard.

He added that the Board would continue to improve on its policy of educating the intending pilgrims on how to perform the religious obligation for them to attain an acceptable Hajj and get value for their money.

The Director called on the Islamic Scholars who would serve as Resource Persons to strive hard to ensure that those who partake in the hajj exercise through the Board achieve the desired goal.

He also recognized the experience of the Scholars in all aspects of Islamic religious knowledge and expressed the hope that they utilize their wealth of knowledge and experience in educating the intending pilgrims, not only on religious matters, but also in the operation in general.

He disclosed that the Board was committed to conducting the education and orientation exercise in phases using seven languages of English, Hausa, Yoruba, Nupe, Ganagana, Egbra and Fulfulde for the benefits of the intending pilgrims.

In his remark at the meeting, the leader of the scholars and the

Chairman of committee of Imams in the FCT, Sheikh Tajuddeen Bello Adegun pledged to do everything possible to ensure that the Intending Pilgrims from the Territory get the basic rudiments of hajj that would guide them to achieve acceptable hajj in line with Islamic injunctions and teaching of the noble Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Tajuddeen emphasised the determination of the resource persons in providing proper guidance for the Intending Pilgrims throughout the hajj exercise.