The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) has started replacing the vandalised manhole covers on Independence Avenue in the Central Business District of Abuja.
The acting Executive Secretary, Mr Richard Dauda, stated this in Abuja on Monday, when he visited the area to assess the replacement exercise.
Dauda said that about 13 manhole covers in the middle of the road have been vandalised on the road corridor.
He added the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, had directed the immediate replacement of the stolen manholes to save lives and property.
“It’s unfortunate that we are having this kind of situation.
“It is not the first time. Even along this stretch, it’s not the first time and we keep coming back to replace them.
“I think it’s more of a security issue to check this kind of vandalism.
“Going forward, I am sure the FCT Administration will intervene very, very seriously in terms of checking vandalism within the city,” he said.
He, however, said that the replacement of the stolen manholes would take time, because of the materials used in making them and the time to produce them.
He assured residents that the FCDA would do all it could to replace the manholes to make the road safe for motorists.
He said that to address the problem of the incessant stealing of the manholes, the FCT Administration had resorted to using non-melting materials to produce the cover.
“In fact, some of the ones that were stolen are those materials that have been made from some sort of composite material.
“When you melt them, nothing much comes out of it, but they just keep stealing them.
“In some roads, we have even used concrete, and you still see people coming to break them; for what purpose and for what benefit, I don’t know,” Dauda said. (NAN)
