The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration (FCTA) has demolished Spotlight Garden Events and Recreation in the Wuye District of Abuja over what it described as a flagrant violation of park closing time of not operating beyond 7pm.
The Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu, who led the demolition team, explained that there was no going back on the enforcement of 7pm.closing time of parks in Abuja.
Shuaibu revealed that the allottee and operator of the garden would be prosecuted for violation of the regulations, which led to the death of an innocent citizen.
“Just last week at a park, called Spotlight Garden Events and Recreation in Wuye District, the operator flagrantly violated our closing time regulation by operating beyond 7pm.
“This attracted the activities of armed hoodlums who gunned down a gallant security officer in cold blood. This could have been avoided if they had complied with our regulations,” he said.
Shuaibu also disclosed that already the park operator had been arrested, adding that the allocation of the park stands revoked and the site would be recovered by the FCT Administration immediately.
He said that this will serve as a warning to all park allottees and operators who deem it fit to arrogantly violate the laid down rules and regulations.
The coordinator explained that the enforcement of 7pm closing time for parks and gardens was necessitated by the security challenges and public disturbances arising from the activities of parks at night.
He lamented that most parks in the FCT were not operating in line with the park policy which they have agreed to obey, adding that 82 per cent of the total land allocated to each park must be devoted to greening.
Shuaibu added that only 18 per cent of the land was for pavement, saying that unfortunately, most park operators change them for an entirely different purpose.
The coordinator said that the FCT Administration had engaged many operators of parks and violators of other land use regulations across the Federal Capital city.
“Especially, the Lungi Crescent Wuse II District. Severally, enforcement notices have been served to the affected allottees. However, some are proving to be recalcitrant. This will never be acceptable to the Administration.
“Appropriate stern action including revocation will be matted to those allocations. Park owners should remember that at the time of applying for gardens, they were given a copy of the official Gazette for parks and gardens operations, to which they agreed, but have decided not to abide by them.
“This is not accepted, the FCT Administration vehemently condemns flagrant violation and is ready to prosecute and violator,” Shuaibu stated.
