FCTA suspends tenement rate collection

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has suspended tenement rates collection in FCT.

The directive was contained in a circular on Friday signed by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye in Abuja.

According to the circular, the suspension was necessitated by the need to sanitize and streamline the tenement rates collection process, as well as ensure compliance with relevant provisions of the Constitution.

Dr. Ajakaiye drew attention to the constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly to prescribe rates to be paid on tenements in the FCT and disclosed that the FCTA is liaising with the legislators for the enactment of the requisite Act.

He noted that the process of property valuation and gazetting at the FCT Administration and FCT area council levels is ongoing, while submissions from the area councils are being collated for onward transmission to the National Assembly.

“This suspension is also in consonance with a resolution of the House of Representatives on the matter and decisions reached at a subsequent meeting with the leadership of the House Committee on FCT, held on Monday, 31st October, 2016, which are deemed to remain in force until the National Assembly concludes the enactment of the requisite legislation,” the circular stated.

The FCT Administration thus enjoined all stakeholders to be law abiding and note the suspension of tenement rates collection in the FCT.