The Federal Capital Territory Administration has said that revenue consultants were frustrating the collection of Internally Generating Revenue in the FCT.
Dr. Babagana Adam, Director, Outdoors Advertisement and Signages, said this on Saturday in Abuja.
Adam, however, debunked reports suggesting that the administration was quarrelling with the Area Councils in the area of revenue collection.
He said the Department was the sole agency charged with the responsibility of collecting revenue from outdoor advertisements and signages in the FCT.
The Director said there was a formula on how the generated revenue would be shared among the FCT, DOAS and Area Councils.
He said based on the understanding with Abuja Municipal Area Council, DOAS has been given three revenue offices in AMAC.
Adam said: “DOAS is not having any misunderstanding with Area Council Administrations of the FCT.
“DOAS is only having little conflicts.
“The perceived conflicts are generated by the sailor, the revenue consultants, who are aggrieved because someone is handling what they are doing in the past.
“Some of them have been living fat on the problems they created between Area Councils, DOAS and the FCT Administration.
“Let me prove this to you.
“As I’m speaking to you, DOAS has established a desk in the office of the Chief Revenue Officer of AMAC, Mr. Danlami Awaje.
“We have been given a number of staff from AMAC to work along with DOAS.
“The scenario is just like you go to the market and you met pickpockets, because I call those revenue consultants that are not legal as pickpockets.
“Pickpockets distract your attention and will put their hands in your pocket and take your valuables.
“That is how the revenue consultants have been shortchanging the FCT system.
“So, for now, we say no more.
“Let me further tell you that we are also facing the illegal revenue consultants head on.”
Adam said henceforth, DOAS would not be intimated by any group or revenue consultants to surrender outdoor advertisements and signages revenue collection to them in the FCT.
Adam assured the area councils that the FCT administration was working tirelessly with DOAS towards ensuring they get what belongs to them.