The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, Thursday, warned traders against arbitrary protests without following due process, adding that such acts cannot intimidate him.
The minister was reacting to the action of traders from the Apo Mechanic village that besieged the entrance of the FCTA secretariat, demanding that the FCT minister signs the lease agreement to enable them move to their permanent site at Wassa district.
The traders who carried different placards commending the developmental strides of the minister appealed to him to sign the lease agreement which was entered in 2015.
Chairman of the traders association, Chimezie Ife, said his members were tired of waiting since 2006 to be allocated their permanent business environment, having spent over N100 million.
He added that since 2006 when the old Apo Mechanic Village was demolished with a promise for a permanent location, they waited until 2011 when they applied for a land and were forced to spend over N100 million by officials of the administration.
Despite the efforts and expenses, he lamented that the traders are yet to be allocated their land. This, he added, prompted series of demonstrations against the administration with the hope that the current FCT minister, will address the lingering issue.
Wike, who was obviously not impressed by the actions of the traders, berated them for neither writing his office to discuss the delay in implementation of the lease agreement nor inform him of the protest.
