SENATOR SEEKS TAXATION OF UNOCCUPIED BUILDINGS IN ABUJA

SENATOR SEEKS TAXATION OF UNOCCUPIED BUILDINGS IN ABUJA 

The chairman, senate committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator Smart Adeyemi has called for taxation of unoccupied mansions to reduce housing deficit and generate funds in the FCT.

Speaking at the committee's meeting thursday in Abuja, he said it is necessary to use legislation to solve the problem of outrageous numbers of unoccupied buildings, cost of housing and prevent criminals from inhabiting the buildings. 

"We have found that in this city, many houses are not inhabited. There are a lot of mansions with no one living in them and no one is asking questions, we would propel legislation that will cause them to start paying taxes so that we would use the money to develop the city"

He said that having abandoned houses around makes accommodation difficult for average people and poses risks to residents because they serve as abode for criminals.

The Senator complained that the N12.9 billion allocated to the FCT in the budget is inadequate.

He said that given the growing population in the FCT, there is the need for government to improve the budget of the territory to enable it provide infrastructure for the residents and open up more districts in the city.

“For the road to be good, for good security, what is allocated to Abuja today is far below what is required of this developing city. So we call on President Muhammadu Buhari before the presentation of the 2023 budget, we want an improvement in the capital vote for the FCT.”

He said that the committee will work to complement the efforts of the executive and see what it can do on the social and economic development of the FCT.