The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello, has said there was no going back on the planned removal of Apo-Dutse Pantaker, famed to be one of the biggest scrap markets in the country.
Bello stated this Friday at an interactive meeting with stakeholders of the pantakers market, at the FCT Administration secretariat, in Abuja.
The minister, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement, Mr. Ikharo Attah, said he had issued a marching order to the effect.
He said the administration had decided to extend the ultimatum earlier issued to the marketers by one week due to the Ramadan.
“The FCT Administration has given a marching order to clear the place, because criminals are largely hibernating there, even the people have admitted that the criminals have stolen some electrical installations there.
”We have warned and given them an ultimatum before, but they pleaded that their pantaker is not like the other ones, but the biggest in the country. They said that parking their things will take almost one month. We reviewed it because of Ramadan and agreed one week after the Sallah to vacate the place,” he said.
Responding, one of the leaders, Ambusa Umar, said the operators had consented to the decision of the administration, but pleaded for two weeks, instead of one.
He equally acknowledged that the place had security challenges, but urged the administration to consider their request.
