Revisiting Park & Pay scheme in Abuja

By Rogers Edor Ochela

When it was first introduced in 2012, it was trailed by hues and cries by a segment of the Abuja society, which described the policy as punitive and irksome, while a high preponderance of residents applauded it as highly necessary, at least for ensuring orderliness, sanity, beauty and reduction in auto crashes on the roads in the nation’s capital.
The laudable scheme, a brain-child of the Federal Capital Territory Administration under Senator BalaAbdulkadir Mohammed’s ministerial superintendence was inaugurated to ensure effective traffic management and control in FCT.

But before this wonderful scheme was axed by Justice Peter Affen of Abuja High Court on the grounds that it was not backed by law, it assisted significantly in creating employment opportunities to Nigeria’s teaming unemployed youths; reduced indiscriminate parking of vehicles in the city centre; reduced traffic congestion on roads as well as helped to achieve adequate security of vehicles, viz-a-viz reduction in car theft. The learned judge, who ruled on a suit brought before him by a private firm, Sun Trust Savings and Loans Ltd, had appropriately affirmed that the scheme introduced by the affable FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, was an excellent one that was geared towards sanitizing the nation’s capital city.
Nigerians are united in their commendation for Bala’s courage in taking the path of honour by opting to abide by the decision of the court in a nation where impunity and disobedience to court orders have been elevated into an art. It is indeed a hallmark of good leadership for any leader to stand up and accept a court judgment which on its face value appears to be quite unfavourable.

It is worthy of note that before the judgment outlawing the scheme, the FCTA had begun its comprehensive repackaging and a report produced containing some guidelines that will enhance the operations of the scheme when it begins again.
Another fundamental advantage of the scheme is the in the area of helping to preserve critical infrastructure such as pedestrian walkways, electric poles etcetera, as well as sewage/drainage covers. It is also noteworthy that some of the operators and their employees did not implement the scheme the way it was supposed to be. Many of them turned it into an avenue for extortion of innocent motorists. Some of the penalties appeared draconian. For instance, the fine usually imposed on offenders which ranged from N5,000 to as high as N15,000 was considered high.

Fortunately, the minister who is very sensitive to the views and aspirations of the majority of the people has assured that the penalties will be reduced downward with a view to ensuring that all the areas of perceived extortion and persecution are removed. The minister deserves commendation for his efforts to make sure that all the legal loopholes are captured by ensuring that the necessary by-laws are put in place to firm up the scheme in such a way that there will not be any loophole for offenders to exploit through lawsuits.
Also, it is expected that the FCTA would use this opportunity to ensure that only operators with necessary technical and manpower capability are licensed to operate the scheme. That will ensure that there is efficiency in operation and also guarantee the welfare of employees. As it were under the previous system, some of the workers were paid peanuts, far below the national minimum wage.

Therefore, it is expected that apart from the legal issues, the reform should also cover minimum wage ceiling, which must not be lesser than the national minimum wage. Truly, some of the operators were exploitative and the minister should not hesitate to discard any company that was found incompetent or exploitative of its workers.
As residents of Abuja wait patiently for the re-introduction of this laudable policy, the point must be orchestrated that like what is obtainable in other climes, operators should be learn to be friendly so that instead of clamping vehicles, tickets should be attached to the windshield, regardless of the hours spent.

Contrary opinion of critics notwithstanding, the scheme, during its first phase of operation ensured that motorists for the first time parked their vehicles orderly in designated places. This enhanced the beauty of the city, guaranteed lives and property of residents, in addition to creating employment for over a thousand young people, including women and youths.
Moreover, the companies involved had procured very sophisticated equipment for towing and handling of impounded vehicles; all these are some of the measures and mechanisms that are necessary in any city that realistically prides itself as a mega city. The truth is that in civilized cities of the world, park and pay systems are in operation, which have brought about sanity in those cities.

So, as the FCTA gears up to re-launch this wonderful scheme after giving it legal teeth, thoughts should be spared for its redeeming features that have all the potentials of bringing the nation’s capital city at par with its counterparts in other parts of the world. In the same vein, residents of FCT in particular and Nigerians in general should be magnanimous enough to appreciate the FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed for his all transformative ability in initiating this policy.

Ochela wrote from Abuja. Email: [email protected]