Minister of State for FCT, Mrs. Olajumoke Akinjide
Obinna Chima
The Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) has said it realised an internally generated revenue (IGR) of N1.472 billion in July 2012.
Minister of State for FCT, Mrs. Olajumoke Akinjide, disclosed this at the Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting on Tuesday.
She explained that the IGR rose by N371 million or 34 per cent over the preceding month’s figure of N1.101 billion. According to her, the FCTA would continue to strive to increase its revenue in order to stimulate more economic activities within the territory.
“We are working very hard and partnering with the area council chairmen to raise the present level of revenue. This will ultimately result in more money being available for the Area Councils.
“We are also going to put in place before the next meeting mechanism such as biometrics to eliminate ghost workers and track the number of workers in the six area councils of the territory,” she said.
Akinjide revealed that the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS) contributed the lion’s share of the IGR of N989.14 million while the FCT Water Board realised N190.88 million.
A breakdown of the amount realised by other agencies showed that while the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) realised N146.24 million; Abuja Environmental Protection Board, N57.72 million, the Directorate of Road Traffic Services made N53.52 million.
Akinjide explained that the sum of N1.723 billion was available for distribution among the area councils from revenue received from the Federation Account Allocation Committee for June 2012.
Of the N1.723 billion, she revealed that primary school teachers in the six area councils – Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali – got N838.24 million while the area councils received N772.66 million.
"The FCTA Area Councils JAAC also allocated N95.04 million to Area Council Pension Board being 15 per cent pension fund and N17.23 million to Area Council Service Commission being one per cent training fund," she added.
The minister further said the breakdown of the revenue allocation received by the area councils included: Abaji (N116.32 million), Abuja Municipal (N170.05 million), Bwari (N133.38 million), Gwagwalada (N139.66 million), Kuje (N111.12 million) and Kwali (N102.11 million).
The Kuje Area Council Chairman, Mr. Danladi Etsu Zhin, was said to have commended the minister for ensuring transparency and accountability in the monthly revenue allocations to the six area councils.