By PHILIP YATAI

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) says it will be responsible for the collection of all revenues on behalf of the six area councils of the FCT in 2025.

Mr. Michael Ango, acting Executive Chairman of the service, announced this at the 2024 end of year media briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

Ango said that the goal was to ease compliance by taxpayers in the FCT and improve transparency and accountability for all revenue collection.

He said that a similar arrangement was being worked out with the various Secretariats, Departments and Agencies in the FCT Administration.

He explained that the decision was in compliance with the directive of the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike.

“The revenue collected will, however, remain theirs. All we are doing is to assist them to collect and aggregate it.

“Thereafter, the monies will be disbursed to them in their various accounts,” he said.

The FCT-IRS boss further said that the service would also focus on harmonisation of revenue administration in the FCT from 2025.

He added that a meeting had already been held with the chairmen of the area councils who have agreed to collaborate on the full harmonisation of revenue collection in the territory.

“We have different agencies in the FCT that collect revenue on behalf of the FCT Administration and these agencies collect all these revenue items individually.

“Globally, this is not the best practice. Therefore, Wike has directed that all the agencies in the FCT must have one central point for revenue collection.

“We must have a harmonised revenue administration system whereby taxpayers in the FCT, individuals and residents who want to pay any tax levies or fees to the FCT Administration will do that at one point.

“We will also have one central revenue reporting point to ensure better transparency and accountability for revenues collected,” he said. (NAN)