AMAC Commences Operation Show Receipt Of Tenement Rate Payment

The Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, has adopted stringent measures towards the collection of tenement rates from residents after several dialogues and flagrant disobedience to court orders by residents of the area.

The coordinator of Tenement Rate in the Council, Dr Alewa Akawo Nasiru who made the call at the enforcement exercise at the EFAB metropolitan estate in Gwarinpa Abuja, said since 2002 to date the residents have not made any payment which has accumulated to over 6m Naira in arrears and still counting despite court orders.

Nasiru explained that the residents are willing to comply with the provision of the law but, the developer and facility manager of the estate are obstructing the functions of the council from collecting the levy because of their selfish interest hence denied officials access into into estate after several attempts.

“Today’s operation marks operation show your prove of payment, since 2002 to date their grand total is about N559,000 only and the rent payable is 120,000 but, they allow it to accumulate to over 6m and refused to pay rather calling for development and other basic infrastructure”.

“Before the enforcement exercise the estate management Association approached the Council saying they were not aware of the incident because the facility manager refused to disclose that and as patriotic Nigerians we can not allow any body to jeopardize the constitution”.

“Everyone needs to respond to this constitutional provisions and it’s good we end it amicably since the Council has been given the opportunity to go in to serve their notices according to the prototype of the buildings subject to negotiations.

“And the essence of inviting the media is to debunk any fake news information that the AMAC officials are harassing residents even when the provisional obligation has been given to us by the Federal Government because obeying the constitution is as good as obeying the present administration.

A resident of the estate and former justice of the supreme court Justice, Paul Adamu Galumje said he was not in support of those who disobeyed the court order.

“And the question is who is preventing the government from carrying out their constitutional duties and also refusing to obey the initial court to these effect?

The Vice Chairman of the EFAB metropolitan estate Mr Ahmed Dandarini after a fruitful deliberation however granted access to the tenement rate enforcement team into the estate to serve their notices to each house in the estate for total compliance in line with the provision of the law.

“Nobody will stop them from carrying out their civic responsibility even the developer and facility manager should stay clear to avoid further indictment in this excercise.”

Garry Ochigbo, Edited By Grace Namiji