Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has announced that starting in January, private individuals in Abuja will no longer be allowed to operate taxis without proper profiling and without using the official Abuja taxi color, in a bid to reduce incidents of ‘one chance’ crimes.
He explained that at bus and taxi terminals, they know the vehicle citizens board and the driver but if you choose to travel on your own, taking risks on the road, that’s your personal responsibility.
This was disclosed via a media chat the Minister had in Abuja on Wednesday, November 13.
Wike said: “First of all, let us appreciate that what we’re doing in terms of using bus terminals is okay, and then how would you run it in terms of sustainability
“Now what we have agreed, government can not only depend on private sectors in terms of transportation,
“While we allow the private sector to participate, government will on it’s own provide the infrastructure .
“Now how do you run it? Bring private people, to partner with government ,to make sure it’s more efficient.
“With what we’re doing now, when by January, February when the bus terminals will start and people are now applying to partner with government to run it for it to be more efficient and effective.
“By January we can’t allow private people to run taxis without profiling and without using the Abuja colour, so we can reduce the level of ‘one -chance’.
“When you go to the bus and taxi terminals, and you board a vehicle they know the vehicle you’re boarding, they know the driver, but if you go on the road on your own, taking risk it’s your business.”
