FCTA

Abuja, Nov. 8, 2023: The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has inaugurated a Capital Gain Tax Implementation Committee, as part of efforts to boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in FCT, Abuja.

Mr Chinedum Kelechi, the Mandate Secretary, Economic Planning, Revenue Generation and Public Private Partnership, FCTA, inaugurated the committee in Abuja on Tuesday.

The committee would be chaired by the Executive Chairman, FCT-IRS, while the Director, Tax Operations, FCT-IRS would serve as secretary.

Members of the committee included the Solicitor General; Director, Land Department; Director, Development Control; Director, Abuja Geographic Information System; and the Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association.

Kelechi explained that setting up the committee became necessary following the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike’s approval for the implementation of the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) Act, Cap. CI LFN 2004.

“The Act imposes a CGT tax rate of 10 per cent on the total amount of chargeable gains accruable to any person upon disposal of his or her chargeable asset.

“Or assets in a year of assessment after deduction of the allowable expenses from the gains made on the asset’s disposal.

“This is to be remitted to the FCT Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) as required by the extant law,” he said.

He added that Wike had equally approved inter-agency collaboration and synergy between the FCT-IRS and other relevant agencies to ensure a smooth implementation of this CGT Act.

This, according to him, is critical to harnessing the potential of CGT in the FCT.

The mandate secretary said that the committee was expected to conduct comprehensive awareness and education campaigns to improve citizens’ understanding.

He also said that the committee would conduct regular stakeholders’ engagement through business associations, chambers of commerce, Nigeria Bar Association, and other relevant organisations.

He equally said that the committee would monitor transactions across stakeholders, agencies and enforce the implementation of CGT in accordance with extant laws.

Kelechi urged members of the committee to collaborate with the judiciary to handle cases of severe non-compliance or fraud as well as establishing a transparent dispute resolution mechanism among others.

Earlier, the acting Executive Chairman, FCT-IRS, Mr Haruna Abdullahi, said that the CGT was part of taxes that FCT-IRS was empowered by law to collect.

Abdullahi, however, lamented that currently, the capital gain tax due to FCT that was being collected was less than five per cent.

He commended Wike for bringing relevant stakeholders together to work with FCT-IRS to enhance the revenue in the territory.

Abuja, Oct. 21, 2023: The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike has approved the withdrawal and revocation of houses sold to individuals by the FCT Administration but converted to other uses.

Mr Mukhtar Galadima, Director, Department of Development Control, FCTA, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.

Galadima recalled that the Federal Government in 2005 initiated the monetisation programme because of the cost of maintaining the houses.

He explained that the houses were sold to the occupiers so that they could maintain them.

He, however, said that after some time, some of the beneficiaries converted the houses from residential to other uses.

This, according to him, constitutes so much burden in terms of city administration and management that this administration felt it cannot condone any longer.

“It is on this note that the minister has approved and directed that all owners of such properties should revert the use of the properties to its original and designated land use which is residential.

“Failing to comply with this directive as from Nov. 1, the house is considered as revoked.

“We are given such persons and individuals to the end of October to revert to original uses, otherwise from Nov. 1, they should consider such properties as revoked and returned to FCTA,” he said.

The director said that so far, the department has recorded more than 111 cases of land use conversion in respect of the sold houses, cutting across all the districts of the capital city.

He added that owners of the properties have been informed and given notices to revert to the original land uses but failed to comply.

According to him, once these houses are revoked the FCTA will decide the next line of action.

“The minister has also directed that owners of properties, particularly along major streets that have converted their properties to other uses without approval should either revert to original use or pay contravention charges.

“Anyone that fails to comply with such a directive, the administration will take appropriate action, which may include revocation.

“It is on this note that we felt it wise to inform the public of the decision and directive of the FCT Administration with regards to the indiscriminate conversion of land uses in FCT.

“This is done to maintain the sanctity of the Abuja Master Plan.”

Abuja, Sept. 19, 2023: The Department of Development Control, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), says it will begin arresting violators of Abuja Master Plan in addition to demolishing the structures.

Its Director, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, stated this after a foiled attempted demolition of an abandoned three-storey building at Asokoro in Abuja on Tuesday.

The officials of the department had begun demolishing the fence of the building when the owner came with a court order stopping the exercise.

Galadima told journalists that the building was not only abandoned but was also constructed in violation of the approval given for the structure.

“Aside from building contrary to the approval, the structure had been abandoned for a long time and had become a safe haven for criminals.

“If you look at that area, it is purely a low-density residential area, mostly duplexes with one suspended floor or two suspended floors.

“But the structure in question is a massive structure of luxury apartments, which may end up being a hotel.

“There was no approval to that effect. I have gone through all the files. The approval was for a duplex, but they didn’t build it in line with what was approved for them.,” he said.

The director recalled that the former minister had visited the structure for the same reason, adding that notice for removal had been served to the owner.

He added that part of the reason for the demolition, apart from violating the approved plan, was also that the building was abandoned and constituting a security threat to residents.

He also said that the Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, frowns at abandoned structures.

“These are why we moved in to remove that structure to give way but while the operation was ongoing, the owner of the property came up with a court order.

“The Order specifically barred FCTA from tampering with the property.

“As responsible citizens, I have to stop the action and consult with the Legal Secretariat of the FCT to advise on the next line of action,” he said.

When asked if the department will go ahead with the demolition if the Legal Secretariat gives its consent, Galadima said “It will come down”.

After some cleanup of operations at Asokoro and Maitama, the director said that the department would sustain the cleanup exercise.

He said that the exercise would focus on dark spots constituting security threats and those constituting hygienic and environmental problems.

“The clean up is a continuous exercise to sanitise and clean the city. Already we have cleaned up Kabusa Junction, Galadimawa Roundabout, Sun City, and Ring Road 2 Corridor.

“So, we’re going all around the city, but this time around, once we clear, we will arrest those violating the Abuja Masterplan,” he said.