Questioning the operational approach of the park and pay policy implemented by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Capital Territory expressed concerns about the enforcement practices affecting residents and motorists in Abuja.
The reintroduction of the park and pay policy in August 2023 by the FCTA, following an agreement with two concessionaires, aimed to ease congestion in the city and enhance the driving experience in the nation’s capital.
After a court ruling in April 2014 halted the collection of fees for parking within Abuja, the policy was suspended due to lack of legislative support. However, the recent interactive session with the transportation secretariat’s mandate secretary shed light on the rationale behind reinstating the scheme and the revenue remittance processes to the FCTA.
In response to queries regarding the policy implementation, Elechi clarified that designated areas were demarcated as parking zones for the park and pay regulation, emphasizing its legal foundation as a traffic control mechanism. He explained the revenue sharing framework between concessionaires and the FCT, with 60% allocated to them and 40% to the FCT, where the generated revenue is directly deposited into the FCT’s account.
Further inquiries by the Committee Chairman, Muktar Betara, delved into the establishment of the contract, selection criteria for concessionaires, revenue remittances since January, and approval processes. The involvement of regulatory bodies like the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the approval by the Federal Executive Council were highlighted by the Director of Legal Services, Hussaina Olayemi.
Criticism was directed at the revenue sharing model favoring concessionaires with 60%, prompting the committee to seek clarification on the infrastructure contributions made by concessionaires in exchange for the revenue share.