By Abdullahi Muhammad
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Mohammad Musa Bello, has said that with the on board of the Federal Capital Territory Inland Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), necessary machinery had been put in place to end the regime of multiple taxations in the Territory.
The minister stated this on Tuesday while receiving a delegation from the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA), who paid him a courtesy call.
He said “one of the quick wins expected from the recently reconstituted Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) will be the elimination of multiple taxations in the Territory and harmonisation of all taxes payable to government.”
Bello expressed optimism that the initiative by the FCT Administration to create a one-stop window for all taxes would key into the federal government’s programme of “improving the position of Nigeria on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index which has been improving positively recently.”
“While we partner with the Chambers of Commerce, Manufacturers Association, and other stakeholders, we will also include you in the team that is working on this harmonisation,” he said.
He commended the group for their contributions towards the making of Abuja, saying the “history of Abuja cannot be written without acknowledging the efforts of all your members.”
Speaking earlier, the leader of the Northern Group of NECA, Alhaji Mahmud Othman, said “NECA is the umbrella body of all employers of labour in the country which has been in existence for over 60 years since it was founded.”
He commended the Minister for the “noticeable progress which FCT has been recording” since his assumption of office, urging him to “keep up the good works.”
Othman, however, expressed concern over the multiplicity of vehicular stickers being produced by the different area councils “which has entailed a lot of inconvenience for the association’s members.”
He, therefore, appealed to the Minister to “see to it that these taxes are harmonised since the FCT is one Territory.”
