The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said it will put an end to harassment of motorists and businesspeople by touts under the payroll of area councils in the name of revenue collection.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Barrister Nyesome Wike, made this known on Thursday in Abuja during the Ministerial Sectoral Update.
The minister disclosed that the administration will form a committee with the area councils with the intention of harmonising and having the same account in order to end the menace of touts and double taxation.
He said, “How many months have we been in office? It is just nine months, and we cannot solve all the problems at the same time.
“Harassment by touts because of revenue collection and others. We have called and sat down with the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) group, saying that the only way to allow decency in the collection of revenue is that we have to sit with them, form a committee, and have an account where the revenue comes to the FCT and they collect their own share.”.
“By doing so, that way you will reduce touting and harassment and the double taxation, and they have agreed. After all, the law allows them to take 10 per cent of our IGR; why are they afraid?
“So, allow FCT to do it so that we can avoid double taxation and harassment by touts. One of the things in the city is that everybody wants to survive, so you find some of these elements from time to time. But, bear in mind that it is part of our responsibility that we are going to ride them off, but it cannot be immediately.
Speaking on the distortion of the Abuja master plan by the erection of shanties, the conversion of residential buildings to business premises, and the perceived tussle with the Federal Housing Authority, Wike vowed to step on toes by pulling down the structures.
He said, “There is no tussle between the Federal Housing Authority, FHA, and FCT; FCT gave the land to FHA, and all the houses are under FHA. However, FCT has the right to an oversight function to ensure that development is in line with the master plan, and when I came on board, I set up a committee to ensure that all those who have distorted the master plan are fished out.
“If you build for residential but convert to residential, then you revert back or we bring it down. You cannot be a leader without stepping on toes; what is important is your coincidence. Are you doing it right or not?”
The minister also called on the National Assembly to amend and review laws to punish vandals in order to discourage vandalism and sustain legacy projects.
“Take, for example, the issue of streetlights. Today you put streetlights there; tomorrow night, they are no longer there. What happened? They vandalise them; they go and cut off the cables.
“You arrest them and go and prosecute them. What does the law say on conviction, N10,000? So, they continue, and we have told the National Assembly that they must come to our aid by amending and reviewing the law to make it very tough so as to discourage vandals from vandalising our infrastructure,” he added.
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