Wike pledges to end harassment of motorists by touts

Wike pledges to end harassment of motorists by touts

By Philip Yatai

Mr Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has pledged the commitment of the FCT Administration to end harassment of motorists by touts in the name of revenue collection.

Wike gave the assurance in Abuja on Thursday, during the Ministerial Sectoral briefing on the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the last one year.

He said that the FCT Administration had reached an agreement with all the Area Council Chairmen to empower FCT Internal Revenue Service to collect all revenues.

He explained that after the collection, the area councils would be given their share, stressing “that is the only way we can have decency in revenue collection in the territory.

“That way, we will reduce touting, harassment and double taxation. After all, the law allows the area councils to take 10 per cent of FCT IGR.

“One of the things in a city is that, everybody wants to survive. So, you find some of these elements from time to time.

“But bear it in mind that, it is part of our responsibility. We are going to rid them off, but it cannot be done immediately,” the minister said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that motorists in the FCT were being harassed by touts who claimed to be working for a ministerial taskforce against illegal parking.

Others claimed to be revenue collectors from AMAC.

The touts usually force themselves into private vehicles and forcefully remove the car keys from ignition in the name of illegal parking or other purported  infractions.

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi