Abuja Area Council demands N40,000 community levy from businesses

The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC ) of the Federal Capital Territory has written to businesses in the council to make payments of N40,000 as community levy for the year.

The council threatened to seal off businesses who failed to comply with the order.

This was contained in a letter dated 19th August 2024.

An X user, Aisha Shuaibu who posted the letter lamented the demand notice from the area council, adding that there has never been such a demand in her nearly 9 years of operating her business, stating that the Council was inventing bills to “aggressively tax and inconvenience small businesses”.

She called on the leadership of AMAC, the chairman of the area council, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and whoever else was responsible, to intervene in the issue.

“Another day another demand notice from AMAC to pay for something I’ve never heard of in my nearly 9 years of operating my business. At this point, they are just inventing random bills to aggressively tax and inconvenience small businesses. I am calling on all leadership behind AMAC, the Executive Chairman, the Senate & Reps members, the Management Board, and whoever else is responsible for this. Enough is enough! Leave SMEs alone!”, the post read.

The notice, according to the letter, was under provisions of Section 7 and the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and other relevant laws guiding local governments in Nigeria and the FCT.

The letter urged businesses to promptly pay the fee to a provided account number while warning that late payments attracted a fine and that it was punishable to default or refuse to comply with the payment without any genuine reason to the Council, which may result in the confiscation of any valuable items or a seal-off of the defaulting premises.

Part of the letter read, “Under the provisions of Section 7 and the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended); Exclusive powers of Local Government Councils via Local Government Act 1976 item (R), other relevant section of the Local Government Act, Law of FCT Abuja 2006 and all other Laws enabling it in that behalf, the Abuja Municipal Area Council Community Development Levy and Allied Matters Bye-Law (No. 14B, 2019), we thereby demand the payment of Community Development Levy from you for the year under the following details please.

“Late payment attracts a penalty/fine. It is an offence punishable under the law for you to default or refuse to comply with this payment without giving any genuine reason(s) to the Council.

“Failure to pay this fee will result in the confiscation of any valuable items, or possible seal-off of the premises, or both, by the Relevant Laws. Also, note that the Council has constituted special Mobile Courts on Revenue Issues for speedy trial of defaulters”.

AMAC Spokesperson, Kingsley Madaki, could not be reached to clarify the demand notice as his number was not reachable.