The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has faulted the FCTA “park and pay” arrangement of the Federal Capital Territory.
Rep. Mukthar Betara, Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, faulted Mr Chinedum Elechi, the Mandate Secretary in charge of the transportation secretariat, in Abuja on Wednesday. during an interactive session.
He said that residents and motorists in the nation’s capital were being harassed by those employed to enforce the policy.
It would be recalled that FCTA reintroduced the park and pay policy into the nation’s capital in Aug 2023, after signing an agreement with two concessionaires.
The policy was aimed at decongesting the city and make motoring a more pleasant experience.
The policy was however 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.
Betara demanded details on how the reintroduced park and pay arrangement was established, who authorised it, and how remittances are made to the coffers of the FCDA.
Speaking, 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 legal framework. It is part of the way of controlling traffic.
” So, under the part and pay, designated areas are meant to be parks. So, it is legal. It is a revenue paid through concessionaires.
According to him, there is usually a ration 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 per cent, and 40 per cent goes to FCT. The infrastructures for the work is usually provided by the concessionaire. The revenue goes straight to the revenue account of the FCT not transportation.”
