The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and government of Nasarawa State have begun moves for the establishment of a joint development commission that would focus on areas of common interests.
The moves will also assist to eradicate the persistence gridlock along Nyanya-Mararaba road.
FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello and Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule said this during a meeting at the FCTA Secretariat, Abuja.
According to the Minister, the joint commission would enable the two territories to harmonize their plans, work towards joint spending, development and accruing revenue sharing.
He said: “Relationship between FCT and Nasarawa State is very close because the boundary between us is only imaginary. If you go there, you will find it difficult to see any difference.
“There is the need for us to see how we can improve the linkages. The founding fathers of the FCT envisaged that the surrounding territories would become greater Abuja.
“Our hope is that the Apo-Karshi road, when completed will ease traffic on the Nyanya axis, but it will not be enough because of the many communities that will spring up there”.
Bello assured that he would not allow illegal parks to appear on the side of the FCT, even as he urged the governor to do the same on the side of the State,
The minister also disclosed that the FCTA was seriously working on commencing construction of the rail line that connects the two places.
He called on Nasarawa State to also collaborate with the FCT if the state has rail development plan.
The Nasarawa State Governor who spoke earlier said that his visit was to seek partnership with the FCT Administration for the construction of a modern bus terminal on the side of the State and move in all illegal parks along the road to help solve the protracted traffic situation on that axis.
Governor Sule also suggested the building of roadside barriers that would prevent roadside trading and promised to clear all illegal activities on the road showders, even as he said he has been able to move traders into the State’s international market, renamed after President Muhammadu Buhari.
The governor, therefore, congratulated Bello for his reappointment as FCT and Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu as FCT Minister of State.
Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Umar Jibrin, in his presentation on the proposed ONEX-Mpape-Ado/Gurku-Nyanya by-pass, said that the ongoing construction of the 40 kilometer road link FCT and Nasarawa State and also help in the decongestion of the area.
Jibrin also revealed that the future road project composed of 18 kilometers for the FCT and 22 kilometres for Nasarawa State, adding that the FCTA has undertaken to do the contract design.
He listed traffic decongestion, socio-economic growth and provision of job opportunities to both professionals and artisans as major benefits of the project.
Director, Satellite Towns Development, Engr. Felix Nwanko who also made a presentation on the progress work on the Apo-Karshi road assured that the road would be ready by first quarter of next year.
On his part, Chairman, task-team on decongestion of Nyanya road, Ikharo Attah disclosed that travel time has been reduced from hours to less than 15 minutes on Nyanya route.
He therefore said that for traffic on the road remain free, relevant agencies such as the FRSC, VIO, Police and the AEPB must do their job, and run shift to permanently keep the traders in the markets but not on the road.