By: Abba Onyekachukwu, Abuja.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has approved the procurement of a Microsoft 365 license for its Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) to enhance revenue generation and collection. The license, valued at ₦242,827,450, is expected to modernize the FCT-IRS’s operations by automating manual processes and improving communication and record-keeping.
According to Michael Ango, acting FCT-IRS executive chairman, the move will reduce paper use and ensure better record-keeping by storing information and documents in the cloud. Ango emphasized that the license will enhance the FCT-IRS’s operations and assist in generating revenue for the development of the FCT.
The approval was granted during the FCT executive committee meeting chaired by FCT minister Nyesom Wike in Abuja on Wednesday. This development is part of the FCTA’s efforts to invest in technology and strengthen its internal operations.
The procurement of the Microsoft 365 license is also expected to improve the efficiency of the FCT-IRS, contributing to better revenue collection and ultimately aiding the development of the capital territory under Wike’s leadership.
Meanwhile, FCTA in another development set to seize properties over unpaid ground rent
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned owners of revoked properties in the Federal Capital Territory that they risk losing them to the Federal Government due to unpaid ground rent. This announcement comes after the FCTA revoked 4,794 land titles over unpaid ground rent for more than 10 years.
According to the Director of Land in the FCTA, Mr. Chijioke Nwankwoeze, the affected properties will revert to the FCTA, and the administration will take possession of them in due course. Nwankwoeze stated that the properties are located in the 10 oldest districts in Phase I, which are fully serviced with engineering infrastructure and other services.
The FCTA announced on Monday that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike, had approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles. The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the minister, Mr. Lere Olayinka, revealed that a total of 8,375 property owners owed N6.97 billion as ground rent.
Some of the affected properties are linked to prominent institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), CONOIL, and M.R.S Investment Company Limited (owners of MRS Petrol Stations),
Borno and Kaduna governments, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), University of Calabar, Nigerian Postal Service, and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)
Nwankwoeze advised the affected land title owners to appeal to the minister for reconsideration, warning them against resorting to blackmail. The FCTA has urged all stakeholders to comply with the directive and work together to maintain the city’s security and integrity.
