AMAC blames unfavourable business environment for drop in revenue

The Abuja Municipal Area Council ( AMAC) Revenue Coordinator, Mr Awaje Danlami, has attributed  the decline in revenue collection to unfavourable business environment. Danlami said this at a media retreat organised by AMAC with the theme: “The role of media in the next chapter: Revenue generation.” He said if the business environment was not favourable […]

The Abuja Municipal Area Council ( AMAC) Revenue Coordinator, Mr Awaje Danlami, has attributed  the decline in revenue collection to unfavourable business environment.

Danlami said this at a media retreat organised by AMAC with the theme: “The role of media in the next chapter: Revenue generation.”

He said if the business environment was not favourable it would affect revenue generation and would also affect the development of the council.

He said that every administration revolved around the availability of funds and if such funds were not there it would be difficult to meet the needs of the people

“Sometimes when we go to collect revenue, some people keep begging and one can see that truly the person has not made any sales.”

He said  that in spite of the allocation and revenue collected, it was difficult to do much in the area of development.

According to him, the local governments, which are the ones closer to the people, are not getting adequate funding.

“It is obvious the local government has wide areas of revenue but the fact remains that the machinery for collection and application is lacking.

“Abuja is faced with wide range of developmental activities especially with the influx of people daily and they will require healthcare, roads, water, electricity, schools among others.”

Danlami said the council was faced with challenges including inadequate revenue both internally generated and allocation from the federation account.

He said that the influx of people into Abuja had led to the expenditure of the council increasing coupled with the economic decline.

According to him, in order to meet the challenges, the council is focusing on revenue generation in the next chapter such as boosting and optimising existing revenue streams. He noted that the council was “fostering a culture of transparency and accountability, and developing a data-driven IGR Policy. He added that it was “implementing a centralised payment collection platform and treasury single account to block leakages in addition to harmonized demand notice to be introduced.”

Danlami  urged the media to partner the council in achieving its set objectives.

“The AMAC media have a big role to play in mobilising and educating citizens toward paying revenue.”

He said the media needed to be in constant touch with the revenue division so as to be abreast of the development in revenue generation. (NAN).