House Wants Activities Of FCT Roadside Car Wash Operators Regulated
The House of Representatives has urged the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory and the Area Councils, to ensure that operators of car-wash obtained permission before establishing or operating their business in any location in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The House also urged the ministry and the area councils to develop within their legislative competencies, a robust legal frame work to regulate the activities of car-wash operators in the FCT.
The lawmakers mandated its Committees on the FCT Area Councils, and Legislative Compliance to liaise with the ministry and the six area councils with a view to ensuring compliance.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Olajide Olatubosun at the plenary, yesterday.
Moving his motion, Olatubosun noted the proliferation of road-side car-wash operators in major streets and roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He also noted that the road-side car-wash operators established or operate without any official permission from the relevant authorities in the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory or the area councils.
He said the House is aware that majority of the roadside car-wash operators are enterprising young Nigerians who are interested in eking out a living for themselves, or making their own contributions to the development and economic growth of the FCT.
He, however, expressed concerns that the seeming absence of an effective legal-frame work in the FCT, Abuja has led to the establishment of car-washes locations in major streets and roads in the territory, with serious adverse implications on the sanitation, environment, roads and other infrastructures of the immediate neighbourhood, and the health and safety of residents.
He further expressed concerns that most the road-side car wash locations seem to have been abandoned apparently, due to lack of patronage, and the structures are taken over and occupied by destitute and some criminal.
He opined that adequate regulation of the car-wash business would protect public infrastructure in FCT, especially roads, from avoidable damage, to the benefit of the government and citizens.
Also at the plenary, the lawmakers while adopting a motion sponsored by Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai, mandated its Committee on Power to investigate the activities of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company on the electricity supply to Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency and report back within two weeks for further legislative action.
