The Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, through its agents has slammed provision shop owners in markets with additional taxes.
Though members of the market union have questioned the rationale for the additional tax, claiming the tax which is not new, but has been in existence was meant for restaurants and other eateries.
The tax notice which was widely circulated in AMAC owned markets, including Karu Market was signed by the Director, Environmental Health Department, though it was not dated.
The notice read in part: “Pursuant to the provisions of Section 7 and the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (1)(K) IV (as amended), relevant Sections of the National Environmental Health Practice Regulations, and The Abuja Municipal Area Council Bye-Law, you are hereby notified to pay and obtain/renew the Food/Water Handling Permit/Registration and Premises Inspection of your establishment for the year 2026, alongside any outstanding arrears.”
The shops were given 14 days to pay all outstanding debts or face the consequences in accordance with the law.
After payment, shop owners are expected to go for verification.
“After payment, you must bring evidence of payment to the Annex office address to obtain your official receipt and certificates.
“Penalties: Failure to pay or failure to obtain the official receipt/certificate after payment will be treated as non-compliance and will attract full penalties under the National Environmental Health Practice Regulations.”
One of such provision shops in Karu Market, Madam Chilo Provision Shop, who gave the notice to our reporter was billed ₦70,000 to pay within two weeks of receipt of the notice.
Reacting ti the situation,One of the Karu Market traders association officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “We are aware of this tax, its been there and those responsible have been complying, why are they now extending it to provision shop owners? It is meant for restaurants and other forms of eateries. Traders operating in provision shops have several other taxes that they pay to the area council including sanitation and fumigation levies which AMAC has not done one day.
“Look at the people selling in the car park without shops and those on the road, they pay daily, we are not sure if all the revenue go to AMAC Revenue office, we just comply and pay, why then add another tax meant for restaurants on those in provision shops who are already paying their taxes and levies.
“ We want Makalangu (council chairman) to help us. We will pay our legitimate taxes, let his boys not add the tax meant for restaurant owners to provision shop owners, its not fair,” he noted.
Efforts to reach the AMAC spokesperson, Kingsley Madaki for his reaction was not successful.
