The minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has assured that his administration will only completely ban the commercial motorcycle business, otherwise known as Okada, once a viable alternative transportation system is provided for residents.

The announcement has allayed the fears of the operators and residents in the FCT, who have expressed concerns and speculation that the minister would ban Okada outright within the first 100 days in office.

Over the weekend, the minister gave the assurance when he inspected some ongoing projects within the Nigerian capital’s city centre.

His words: “We did not take a firm decision because we have not been able to provide the buses that will be the alternative for the people.

“It is within the government’s responsibility to provide the alternative and then ask the motorcycle operators to leave the city centre.

“This is so that you don’t ask them to leave, and people will be suffering; no.”

The minister also assured residents that the issue of open grazing in Abuja would soon be addressed after due consultation with the herders.

He said cows would be allowed to graze in the suburbs but not in the city centre.

“Before we take any decision, we will do proper consultation so that nobody will say you never alerted them, you never interacted with them before you took that decision.

“We are going to call the cattle people to sit with them. We cannot allow things to go on like this. We didn’t say there would be no cattle in Abuja but within the city. Like I said, we will take it one after the other,” he added.