The Federal Government has launched a nationwide initiative to clear accidental, burnt and abandoned (ABA) vehicles from highways across Nigeria as part of efforts to promote environmental safety and ensure the free flow of transportation.
Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, gave the assurance in Abuja during the inauguration of the Committee on the Clearing of Accidental, Burnt and Abandoned Vehicles across the country. He said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to environmental sustainability, public safety and ease of movement for goods and services.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mahmud Adam Kambari, the Minister said abandoned vehicles have become a major threat on major highways, contributing to road accidents, traffic congestion, environmental degradation and posing health risks to surrounding communities.
“The inauguration of this committee marks a pivotal step in our collective resolve to address one of the lingering environmental, safety and public health challenges that has persisted for too long across the nation,” Lawal stated.
He explained that the Steering Committee is drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), security agencies and transport unions to ensure coordinated implementation.
The committee, according to him, has been mandated to provide strategic direction for the nationwide clearance exercise and enforce guidelines that will prevent indiscriminate abandonment of vehicles in the future.
“You are to carry out this national assignment with dedication, professionalism and a shared sense of purpose. The Ministry and indeed the Federal Government will give you all necessary support to ensure the success of this initiative,” the Minister added.
In her remarks, the Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Engr. Bahijjahtu Abubakar, said the initiative would not only improve the aesthetics of the environment but also reduce disaster risks caused by abandoned vehicles.
She further urged the committee to explore recycling options for some of the recovered vehicles to promote circular economy principles.
“Recycling will not only protect the environment but also create jobs and generate revenue in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration,” she said.
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Representatives of member agencies, in their goodwill messages, pledged their commitment to the success of the exercise, assuring that the highways would soon be cleared of long-standing vehicle wreckage obstructing transport corridors.
The committee is expected to begin work immediately across the six geo-political zones.
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