By Sarah NEGEDU
Despite efforts to restore sanity in revenue collection processes in the nation’s capital, the activities of illegal revenue collectors and touts seems to have derailed the process and threatened businesses in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
The FCT Administration had in 2023 streamlined and harmonised revenue collection in the FCT, in order to promote the ease of doing business in the territory.
Under the arrangement, the FCT Internal Revenue Service, FCT-IRS, gained the sole rights to collect revenues on behalf of the various secretariats, departments, and agencies, putting an end to the confusion, duplication, and inefficiency, within the system.
However, delivery van drivers plying the roads of Abuja and other businesses have raised the alarm over the re-emergence of the illegal revenue collectors claiming to be collecting revenues for different departments of the FCTA.
The drivers under the auspices of Abuja Delivery Van Drivers, alleged there is a conflict of permits being sold to van drivers in the FCT.
The group, at a press briefing in Abuja over the weekend, accused the FCT Administration of overstretching businesses through double taxation, claiming that there are two separate permits purportedly issued by the Transport Secretariat of the FCT and its Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signage, DOAS.
Chairman of the Association, Comrade Lawal Abdullahi, who spoke on behalf of other members, disclosed that the Transport Secretariat and DOAS have employed consultants to sell State Permit and Haulage Permit to truck drivers even when both permits meet the same function.
Abdulkahi, who said the conflicting permits has led to confusion and unnecessary financial burdens on his members said, “We will like to bring to the notice of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, that there are two separate and conflicting permits being sold to drivers by two departments under the FCT Administration, from two different approvals from the same administration leading to confusion and unnecessary financial burdens.
“These departments, the Department of Outdoor Advertising and Signage, DOAS, and the FCT Transportation Secretariat, have each employed consultants to sell different permits. The permits are State Permit, and the Haulage Permit.”
Copies of the permits purportedly issued by one of the consultants sighted by our correspondent, suggest that the concessionaire for the FCT Transportation Secretariat is one DS Alade Global Limited.
The permit had price categories for different vehicles ranging from tricycles, buses, towing trucks, delivery vans, to heavy duty equipment like bulldozers and pay loaders.
A 2024 Haulage and Goods Movement Permit certificate also sighted by our correspondent, requires an annual payment before a vehicle is cleared by “the Federal Capital Territory Administration Transportation Secretariat” with a warning that “only the original copy is valid, any photocopy of this certificate is not recognised.”
While seeking the urgent intervention of the FCT minister, the Abuja Delivery Van Drivers described the arrangement as illegal and untenable as unsuspecting members of the public are falling prey to the illegalities.
“Recently, Abuja drivers have been forced to purchase both permits, with costs ranging from N35,000 to N50,000, depending on who is selling the paper. Better still, these two departments do not acknowledge each other’s permits as their illegal enforcement team discredit each other.
“For instance, if a driver pays for a permit from the Transportation Secretariat, DOAS always discredit such permits and refuse to accept it, and the same applies in reverse. This has left taxpayers in a dilemma, unsure of which permit is valid.
“Legal opinions have confirmed that there is no legal or constitutional basis for these payments been demanded by illegal consultants engaged by both the FCT Transportation Secretariat and DOAS. “These bodies are not authorized revenue collection agencies. Furthermore, the consultants collecting the fees-tagged “Wike’s Documents”, do not appear to have any legitimate ties to the FCT Administration, yet they continue to swindle Abuja drivers of their heard earn income.
They also ask that the minister investigates and bring to book those using his name to illegally extort money from Abuja drivers.
Attempts to get clarification from the FCTA Transportation Secretariat were unsuccessful, as the Deputy Director, Information, of the Secretariat, Ifeanyi Ughamadu, did not respond to phone calls and WhatsApp messages sent to his mobile phone.
