FCT residents who enjoy unwinding at parks and gardens after the close of work may have the enforcement team of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to contend with Monday night as they have been detailed to major parks to ensure fun-seekers do not stay beyond 7 pm.
While this decision may not go down well with the majority of the residents who visit these parks at night, the administration insists the measure is to curtail what it terms unwholesome activities in public parks.
The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah said all park operators must close at 7 pm daily in line with its policy.
Mr. Attah sympathized with the park operators whose businesses typically peak at night, but added that the administration is concerned with sanity.
“The issue of the park policy is very clear, the FCT Administration is very clear on it, the coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, and the Director of Parks and Recreation have clarified the issue.
"The Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Bello has given the marching order to implement the park policy and it is clear, from 7 pm all parks are to remain closed that is what the park policy contains, also with the kind approval of the minister, from tomorrow, Monday all parks should remain close from 7 pm,” he said.
"I have received calls from some of them that people want to enjoy after closing from work till deep in the night, but I say no.
“Anything someone wants to enjoy go early enough so that by 7 pm when the park is closing, those in charge of the park can clean it and prepare for another day's business.”
Last week, the coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu announced the park operational hours of 8 am to 7 pm.
