By Gistflash
June 16, 2021
Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), has baned three Municipal Councils in the state capital from collecting various building levies as it was illegal for local governments to collect such.
The Chairman of ECTDA, Dr. Josef Onoh, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Enugu that collection of such levies were solely its responsibility.
According to him, the levies include building approval and Due Process Compliance levy; Development levy, Site Maintenance levy; Youth Empowerment levy and Container permit.
He said the affected LGAs are Enugu North, Enugu South and Enugu East, all within the jurisdiction of ECTDA.
The chairman directed security agencies to arrest and prosecute defaulters and agents of the councils whom it accused of promoting double taxation and making lives miserable for developers and residents in the state capital.
“As far as the authority is concerned, those agents are touts and I will not hesitate to report any council chairman who fail to comply with this directive to Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
“It is not statutory for any local government area to collect such levies and why is the only three L.G.As in Enugu municipal that collect it in all the local government areas in the country,” Onoh queried.
Onoh described Demand Notices of Building Approval served by the councils as illegal since the victims eventually come to ECTDA to make another payment.
He said, “In line with the above listed illegal acts, we are compelled to put you in the know of the provisions of the law giving powers to the Authority to function within the capital territory.
“ECTDA laws of 2009 No.5 and Revised of 2014 gives the agency the sole responsibility to enforce compliance with appropriate standards in the Development of Enugu Capital City.
“These excessive and illegal actions by your staff contravenes and usurps the powers and functions of the Authority as provided in sections 16 (2) and (4) of ECTDA law.
“In view of the foregoing, all activities being carried out within the capital territory by agents parading in the form and style of Youth Empowerment in relation to infrastructural development and municipal services is hereby banned with immediate effect,” Onoh said.
Onoh said that the agency would not allow anybody to undermine the efforts Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had put in place for the development and attraction of investments to the state.
He further charged EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practice and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to prosecute any defaulting council chairman.
NAN
