By Favour Nnabugwu
The FCT Administration has yesterday said that 130,090 vehicles owners were arrested in Abuja for various traffic offences just as the Federal Capital Territory impounded 23,593 commercial motorcycles a.k.a Okada in Abuja metropolis.

The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed disclosed  this in Abuja yesterday while reviewing the activities of the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) in his office for the year ending 2011.

The Minister reiterated that efforts were made and were still being made to tackle the menace of perennial traffic in the  FCT particularly at rush hours so as to ensure seamless vehicular movement at all times.

Though, Senator Mohammed admittedthe traffic logjam in recent times, he assured that the FCT Administration was however in control of the situation, reiterating that his administration would change the trend.

The Minister stated that FCT in 2011 arrested and impounded 23,593 commercial motorcycles (Okada) in the Federal Capital City whilst  he directed the Directorate of Road Traffic Services to redouble its efforts in ridding Abuja of commercial motorcycles.

According to him, “The FCT Administration through the Directorate of Road Traffic Services has been able to recover 4,950 abandoned vehicles in the Federal Capital City”.

He stated, “The Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) were also able to test 5,456 would-be-drivers/applicants during the period under review”.

Senator Mohammed however admonished  motorists and other road users to, at all times, obey traffic rules and regulations in Abuja else they face the full weight of the law for disobedience.

He added that the FCT Administration had taken delivery of a heavy duty towing truck that would conveniently tow vehicles weighing 50 tons; stating that the Federal Executive Council had approved two additional ones.

The Minister said that contract for 13 operational vehicles has had also been awarded for the Directorate; noting that the year 2012 would take traffic laws seriously  as it concerns traffic control and management in view of the huge capital investment being made by the government.