The Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Candido, has alleged that N700 million due to AMAC is still being withheld by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
He was speaking when Ibrahim Dantsoho, Secretary, FCT Area Council Services Secretariat, paid a familiarisation tour to the council.
City News reports that there is a raging disagreement between FCTA and AMAC over which of them is empowered by law to collect certain taxes, especially tenement rates in the city centre.
The AMAC chairman is insisting that the entire city centre, including the space where the FCTA office is located, fall within AMAC’s jurisdiction.
Blaming the power tussle on some vested interests bent on undermining the provisions of the law in order to frustrate his administration’s commitment to delivering the dividends of democracy, he vowed not to stand aside while development eluded his people.
Candido expressed concern that he might not live up to the people’s expectations if he remained indifferent to the issue of funds and support due to the council.
The AMAC chairman said he was ready to defend what belonged to his council area.
He said “area councils are organs of government. While the area councils are submissive to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for supervision, for God’s sake give them what is due to them.
“The FCTA is expected to supervise and ensure transparent and judicious, utilization of resources.
“About N700 million meant for AMAC is lying with the FCTA, why keep it for AMAC. The money should be given to us for service.
“Give the money to us and ensure supervision. Should there be any council or chairman that misappropriates the funds, there are laws that should catch up with the person.
“But if you refuse to give them, questioning how the volume of the funds would be spent and asking what they would do with the money, I think that is an aberration.
“When you refuse to speak the truth to the authority, things will remain unresolved.
“With the way FCTA relates with the area councils, if there is no change, I pity the administration of area councils coming after us. Very soon some area councils will fold up and go out of business. Things are rough here.
“In AMAC we have salaries close to N200 million. When we get the Joint Area Councils Allocation (JAAC) from FCTA, after one week the money is gone.
“Constitutionally the council is charged with the collection of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), but the FCTA is also interested in certain things that the area council is supposed to do.
“So with this, there is conflict. When we as area council serve notices to people on what is expected of them, FCTA also serves them the same notice, then we end up in court.
“If I speak, they will say I am rude. But I will remain rude until I leave as the chairman of AMAC so long as I am protecting the sanctity of the area council,” he said.
The Mandate Secretary, FCT Area Council Services Secretariat (ACSS), Hon. Ibrahim Dantsoho, promised to investigate the matter of funds brought up by Candido and assured that whatever is due to AMAC will be released.
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