Politics

Wike Pledges to End Motorist Harassment by FCT Touts Over Levies

Published by Tope Fakinlede on May 23rd, 2024.

Wike Pledges to End Motorist Harassment by FCT Touts Over Levies

Reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) indicate that motorists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been harassed by touts claiming to represent a ministerial task force against illegal parking.

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has vowed to put an end to this harassment. During a ministerial briefing in Abuja, reviewing President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s achievements over the past year, Wike assured that the FCT Administration is committed to stopping these unauthorized activities.

Wike stated that the administration has collaborated with Area Council Chairmen to empower the FCT Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to handle all revenue collection. He emphasized that this centralized approach will ensure proper revenue distribution to the area councils and curb harassment, touting, and double taxation. “The law allows the area councils to receive 10 percent of the FCT’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), ensuring decency in the process,” he explained.

He acknowledged that some individuals in the city resort to these illegal activities to survive but affirmed that the administration is determined to eliminate such practices, albeit gradually.

Additionally, NAN highlighted that motorists have faced harassment from individuals falsely claiming to be part of the ministerial task force against illegal parking or revenue collectors from the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).