Business owners in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja have decried move by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA to impose levy on companies for using generators to power their businesses.
Some officials of AMAC believed to have been contracted by the FCTA, have been seen in some parts of the city distributing payment notices to several organizations.
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According to the notice signed by the Director Public Health, HoD Environment of AMAC, Ahmed Haruna, the Management of Abuja Municipal Area Council Environmental Services (ESD) Bodies, said industries, warehouses, Banks are to pay annual fee for using generator due to the discharge of harmful hazardous substance.
The notice reads, “Management of Abuja Municipal Area Council Environmental Services (ESD) Bodies, wishes to notify you of levy/fees due to Abuja Municipal Area Council for Gaseous Emission Permit Limit. This includes discharge of harmful hazardous substance into the air or the land and the water in Nigeria by the activities of industries, warehouse, Bank, either from generator or heavy duty, drilling, production, construction and manufacturing equipments, filling station, ETC.
“This is in line with the provision of section (2C) of the forth schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended under the function of the Local Government Authority and Federal Environmental Protection Agency Act (FEPA) Section 25 which established the Local Council Authority to, regulate, enforce and collection of levies for the interest of public health importance (welfare) section 18, 20, 21, 26and 27 and other relevant laws National Environmental Health Practice Regulation 2016 which confers on the council the power to regulate, inspect, control and collection of levies.
It also threatened to punished and cripple organizations that violate the order.
“Also note that failure to comply with this forgoing regulation is punishable offence and we will seize the activities of the organization and arrest as prescribe in part iV Section 27 Subsection 1 abcd and (2) of FEPA ACT 1992”.
An admin of the AMAC who identified herself as Peace, said the program was approved by the Federal Government.
She said, “is a levy approved by the Federal Government that who ever is running business in Abuja should pay. And it is to be paid annually”.
She, however, declined further comments when asked to give details of the payment.
