The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has granted a ground rent waiver for park operators in the territory, to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on their businesses.
The park operators would enjoy 75 per cent and 25 per cent waivers for 2020 and 2021, respectively.
The Director, FCTA Department of Parks and Recreation, Mrs Riskatu Abdulazeez, stated this in a statement by Maria Okonkwo, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Information, yesterday in Abuja.
Abdulazeez, who spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting with the Association of Park Operators, revealed that the government didn’t review the price of ground rent, adding that the approved charge was N10 per square metre.
She said the essence of the meeting was to inform and collaborate with the operators on the commencement of the ground rent collection exercise.
According to Abdulazeez, the department is set to streamline all the activities in parks and gardens in the city. She urged operators to fill out data forms adequately and clearly, to enable it to build a database.
The statement also quoted some members of the association as appreciating the government for the gesture.
The operators urged the government to look into the collection of ground rent arrears and extend the waivers beyond two years.
They also identified alleged multiple taxations by the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) as one of the obstacles militating against their operations.