Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has denounced the On-Street Parking scheme, also known as the ‘Park-and-Pay’ scheme, as illegal. Wike made this declaration during a media briefing on Wednesday, marking his first year in office.
The scheme, reintroduced in 2023, was marred by a controversial contract agreement between the FCT administration and concessionaires NAJEC Limited and Messrs Automaten Technik Bauman Nigeria Limited.
The agreement, worth N908.3 billion, stipulated an uneven revenue split, with contractors receiving 80% and the administration only 20%.
Wike expressed his unawareness of the scheme’s reintroduction and criticized the lopsided agreement. He directed a statement to be released, informing residents that the scheme was illegal and urging them not to pay for parking in front of their businesses or residences.
The Minister said his investigation revealed that the Transport Secretariat had agreements with consultants, who collected payments without remitting the government’s share. Wike has vowed to take action, emphasizing that the scheme is a fraudulent operation.
“A colleague of mine, a senior advocate, called me and said, ‘Sir, people came to the office now, trying to hijack all our cars.’ He said they were from the Transport Secretariat. I said, ‘Give the person the phone.’ I asked, ‘Who are you? What are you doing?’ He said, ‘Park and Pay.’ I replied, ‘What do you mean by Park and Pay? I park a car in my house, and I pay?
“I called the Transport Secretariat and the Mandate Secretary. I asked who introduced this Park and Pay scheme and what it meant. Who collects the money? It turned out there were agreements between the (Transport) Secretariat and some individuals who claimed to be consultants. Then I asked, ‘Consultants take 80 per cent, and the government takes 20 per cent?’
“Where is this 20 per cent being paid to the government? I instructed that a statement be drafted. I called the Director of Press and said, ‘Send out a statement informing the public that there is no such thing as Park and Pay. It is illegal. That’s what I’m trying to convey,’” he said.
The post Wike declares Abuja ‘park-and-pay’ scheme illegal, cites fraudulent contract agreement appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Naomisophyblog.
