The Federal Capital Territory Administration has registered 11,000 traders and artisans in Apo Mechanic Village for relocation to the permanent site in Wasa District, Abuja.

Felix Obuah, the coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, stated this during a meeting with stakeholders in Abuja on Thursday.

Mr Obuah explained that the meeting was organised to provide updates on the ongoing enumeration of traders and artisans in Apo Mechanic Village for relocation to Wasa.

He added that the meeting also discussed the design and site plans, among other issues. He said the registration for space allocation at Wasa was pegged at N300,000, adding that 11,000 persons have obtained the form and made payments.

He, however, expressed concern that some dubious individuals were taking advantage of the situation to extort unsuspecting traders. He explained that the unidentified individuals, including some union leaders of the traders and artisans, were collecting N650,000 from the traders against the N300,000 approved by FCTA.

The coordinator warned that anyone caught collecting money from unsuspecting traders, including those not on the road corridor and promising them land, would be arrested and prosecuted.

While acknowledging the difficulties faced in dealing with the traders, Mr Obuah noted that over 45,000 names were submitted initially by different unions.

Describing the lists as “inflated”, the coordinator said that the blotted names, among other false claims, have made the council conduct physical enumeration of the affected traders.

He explained that the relocation was mainly for traders on the road corridor and those in the buffer areas. He said that the meeting became necessary after discovering that most of the union leaders had collected money from people who did not have any business at Apo Mechanic Village.

Mr Obuah assured that the registration and enumeration exercise would be concluded before the end of November. 

(NAN)