Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyeson Wike has said that Nigerians he knows would pay their taxes if they know that the government is utilizing them for their benefit.
“What is important to us is yes, we try to make sure that people pay their taxes. One thing I can tell you about people or Nigerians is that when they see that their taxes are being utilized, they reciprocate by making sure they pay their taxes.
“But they are reluctant to pay when they see that the taxes they pay and nothing has been done with them.”
Speaking with journalists shortly after inspecting the emergency construction of a 5-kilometer Kuje township road from the Garage Junction to the LEA Secretariat within the Kuje Area Council, amongst others, the minister said that his government relied mainly on Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) and also applies prudence in the utilization of available resources for the ongoing projects.
“It’s a matter of strategy and being prudent with the available resources.
“We are trying as much as possible to continue increasing our IGR. We are using our IGR to pay. “There is no other money coming from anywhere.
“And again, we restrict the number of projects and ensure that we have gone far before awarding other projects and that the funding is available so that it will not be an abandoned project or projects.
“So, it’s not that we have so much money. It’s just that we are trying to prudently manage what we have and apply it in the best interest of our people.”
Nyesom Wike had inspected the full scope development of the 11km FCT Highway 105, otherwise known as Kuje highway, from the Airport Expressway to Kuje Junction with Spur at Kyami.
Wike gave order for the dualisation of the 5-kilometer Kuje township road to be extended to the Gwagwalada Area Council to improve traffic situation, reduce travel distance and enhance economic activities within the Area Councils.
“We believe that by this December, the contractor, Gilmor Engineering would have handed over, latest by the end of this December as promised and we have also directed them to continue the dualisation of Kuje to Gwagwalada.
“That will ease off traffic difficulties when you are going to Gwagwalada and also reduce the travel distance. People who have no business passing through the airport road through Giri can now, from Gwagwalada and come to Kuje. Everybody in Kuje who is going to Gwagwalada, of course, will go straight and you know the economic impact. This road will trigger off a lot of economic activities.”
