The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has threatened serious sanctions, including jail, against individuals, organisations and agencies violating its order that tax clearance certificates be presented before transactions within the territory.
Lamenting the huge expenditure it incurred on provision of infrastructure and essential services, the FCTA said residents had a lot to gain if taxes were paid regularly.
The Minister of the FCT, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, who was represented at a town hall meeting on the demand and verification of tax clearance certificates by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), commercial banks and corporate bodies before transactions by the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Olusola Adesola, threatened to commence immediate arrest and prosecution of tax evaders in the FCT.
He said, “I, therefore, use this opportunity to send a note of strong warning to tax evaders to desist from their actions. Not only are their actions morally wrong as they ride on the sweat of others, but their actions are also serious criminal offences for which they can face very severe penalties on conviction.”
Christmas: FCT police deploy officers to black spots
Christmas: FCT police deploy officers to black spots
He noted that the FCTA “has the mandate to build for our nation a capital territory that is comparable to the best in the world. And for over four decades, we have delivered on this mandate as Abuja has indeed turned out to be a very beautiful city indeed as testified to severally by visitors to the city.