Gwarinpa Residents Raise Alarm Over Alleged Reallocation of Road Corridors to Car Dealers
Residents of Gwarinpa District in Abuja have raised concerns over the alleged allocation of land originally reserved for road expansion to car dealers following a recent demolition exercise targeting roadside artisans.
The demolition affected mechanics, carpenters and other artisans operating around the 3rd Avenue area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to a report by Daily Trust published on AllAfrica, the residents welcomed the removal of the artisans from the affected locations but expressed concern over reports that the cleared land could be converted into car stands.
allAfrica.com
Architect Fola Garba, Secretary of the Residents’ Association in the Federal Works and Housing Estate, Phase 1, said the demolition could help restore order in the community. However, he questioned the alleged plan to allocate the land to car dealers.
Garba said residents had witnessed a similar situation in Phase 2 of the estate, where artisans were removed from a road corridor and car dealers subsequently occupied the land.
He explained that both locations were originally designated for road corridor expansion around 3rd Avenue, raising questions about the purpose of the reported reallocations.
Residents Question Use of Reserved Land
Garba said preliminary findings by community stakeholders suggested that the land had been allocated to car stand operators through temporary permits reportedly intended for park and recreational activities.
He questioned why land reserved for road expansion and other purposes would instead be used for commercial vehicle displays.
The residents also argued that alternative temporary uses, such as maintaining gardens and planting flowers, could improve the area’s appearance and environmental conditions while the land remained reserved for future road expansion.
Garba further maintained that the community stood to benefit more from the presence of artisans than from car dealers occupying the affected spaces.
Demolition Followed Prior Notices
The affected artisans were reportedly issued quit notices by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) about a month before the demolition.
They were also reportedly given time to remove their belongings, including mechanical tools and container shops, before the operation began around midday on Thursday.
Attempts by Abuja Metro to obtain comments from AEPB spokesperson Janet Peni were unsuccessful at the time of the report.
The concerns raised by residents highlight the need for transparency in the management of public land, particularly in growing urban districts where road expansion, commercial activities and community needs often compete for space.
