Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister, has declared the park-and-pay parking scheme illegal due to irregularities in its contract, which favored contractors with an 80% payout. The initiative, aimed at managing urban congestion, was reintroduced in August 2023 but now faces uncertainty after Wike's announcement.
Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, has announced that the on-street parking initiative known as "park-and-pay" is illegal. This declaration was made during a media briefing in Abuja to commemorate his first year in office.
Wike explained that he learned of the scheme's existence through a call from a senior advocate, who expressed concern over its operations. After further investigation, Wike uncovered troubling inconsistencies in the contract between the contractors managing the scheme and the FCT administration. Notably, the agreement allocated 80 percent of parking fees to the contractors, leaving only 20 percent for the government.
“I asked, what is this park-and-pay?” Wike recalled. He was informed about individuals attempting to seize cars in his friend's office, claiming to represent the transport secretariat. This prompted him to question the validity of the arrangement, which had been implemented without his awareness.
Initially introduced in 2012 to help manage traffic congestion by designating parking areas, the park-and-pay system was suspended in 2014. However, it was reintroduced in August 2023 under a new contract aimed at reducing city congestion. Wike's recent announcement raises concerns about the viability of the initiative moving forward.
The minister's statement has elicited varied responses from residents and stakeholders. Some express relief at the potential termination of what they view as an exploitative scheme, while others worry about the disorder that may follow the discontinuation of an organized parking system.
As the FCT administration navigates the ramifications of this announcement, the future of urban traffic management without the park-and-pay scheme remains uncertain. Wike's comments have ignited discussions about the need for transparency and accountability in public-private partnerships within the FCT.
