Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has tasked property owners in Abuja to pay for their ground rent to see more developmental changes.
The former governor of Rivers State added that refusal to pay the rent and other taxes creates biggest challenge during his tenure, adding that his administration will soon increase taxes on properties in the FCT.
Recall that the some staff of Federal Capital Territory Administration began sealing of properties belonging to ground rent defaulters on Monday.
INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that structures belonging to National Secretariat of Peoples Democratic Party, the National Agency for Trafficking in Persons, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, a branch of Access Bank, and a TotalEnergies filling station were sealed.
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday after inspecting some projects in Abuja, Wike lamented that while residents demand infrastructure in the FCT, they fail to support the government by paying their taxes.
He noted that many debtors owe as much as 20 years’ worth of ground rent, despite the fact that the ground rent has remained unchanged for many years.
READ MORE: FCTA Seals Off PDP Secretariat Over Unpaid Ground Rent
Wike said: “My greatest challenge is the refusal of people to pay what they owe. I will elaborate on this in the next media chat.
“People want facilities, they want infrastructure, but nobody asks where the funds come from. Abuja is not an oil-producing city; we rely solely on taxes. These are not new taxes; they have been in place for years.
“It is unfortunate that many elites own houses overseas. They understand the consequences of not paying taxes abroad, such properties can be forfeited. Yet, when it comes to their own country, they refuse to comply simply because they believe there are no sanctions.
“If you pay your taxes, you will see the difference it makes. That is what we are striving to achieve.”
via: Information Nigeria
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