FCTA Advises Residents To Pay Taxes To Gov’t Designated Offices

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has called on residents of the Territory and big business owners to pay taxes only to the genuine government designated offices, and not to roadside touts.

The director of FCT Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage (DOAS), Dr. Baba-Gana Adam, who made this known on Saturday, lamented that roadside touts have taken over the collection of taxes in the Territory.

He stated that if the impostors were left unchecked, their activities will jeopardise all the Administration’s efforts to boost revenue generation for the Territory.

Adam warned residents especially big business owners to steer clear of fraudsters that feign to be officials of DOAS, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), and FCT-IRS

He revealed that the department recently arrested a fake revenue collector,  ut after he pleaded for forgiveness, and was released with his men a few months ago, they have resurfaced again.

“Within 24 hours yesterday, more than 10 business owners in the FCT called me to complain about harassment by the impostors within the city, which is against advert law. They established themselves as another agency within strategic places in AMAC and carry out a lot of sad events,” he said.

The director called on Abuja residents and business owners to only pay their taxes and fees to the genuine government designated offices, and not to touts on the roads.

“Any person that does business with unscrupulous elements in the name of paying revenue, does that at his or her risk. We have discovered extortions by touts masquerading as agents of the Federal Capital Territory and asked them to steer clear but they don’t want to steer clear. We won’t give up till the right thing is done,” he said.

Adam further urged the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Signage Bill that will make DOAS a full-fledged government agency backed by law.