The Abuja Municipal Area Council has moved to assert its authority over haulage revenue collection, issuing a stern public warning to motorists and commercial operators against payments demanded by individuals wearing red T-shirts marked “FCT Haulage”.
In a statement released on Sunday through Kingsley Madaki, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs to AMAC Chairman Christopher Maikalangu, the council declared that it neither recognises nor authorises the use of such branded attire for revenue purposes within its jurisdiction.
The advisory underscores AMAC’s long-held position that haulage fee collection remains a core responsibility of the Area Councils. “It is the position of the Area Council that revenue on haulage is within the constitutional responsibilities of local governments,” the statement affirmed.
It further accused persons claiming to represent the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s Transport Secretariat of “overstepping their bounds and infringing on the legal responsibilities of the local government”. The council described the development as part of a recurring pattern that has fuelled discussions between the six Area Councils and the FCTA for several years.
“It is the constitutional right of the Area Council, not the FCT, to collect revenue on haulage,” the statement stressed, urging transport operators to insist on official AMAC demand notices and valid identification from any collector. Members of the public were also advised to report disputes or suspicious incidents to law enforcement agencies.
The council said the clarification became necessary to protect motorists from improper demands and to safeguard legitimate revenue administration within its territory.
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The latest advisory brings into sharp focus a jurisdictional tussle that has defined revenue administration in the Federal Capital Territory for more than a decade. Unlike Nigeria’s 36 states, the FCT operates under a unique governance structure where the Federal Capital Territory Administration exercises powers akin to a state government, while the six Area Councils—Abuja Municipal, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji, Kwali, and Bwari—function as local government entities with defined constitutional roles.
The Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution assigns local governments functions that include regulation of markets, motor parks, and collection of related levies. Area Councils have consistently interpreted these provisions to include haulage fees paid by heavy-duty vehicles and commercial transporters operating within their boundaries.
Yet the FCTA, through departments such as the Transport Secretariat and, more recently, coordinated efforts under the FCT Internal Revenue Service, has sought greater central control over certain revenue heads to streamline administration and reduce multiple taxation. Attempts at harmonisation date back to at least 2023, when talks were held to delineate responsibilities and eliminate duplication.
Earlier positions have sometimes shifted. In 2024, for instance, statements attributed to AMAC leadership acknowledged the Transport Secretariat’s role in haulage collection. The current stance, however, marks a clear reassertion of the councils’ constitutional claim, reflecting persistent disagreements that have occasionally spilled into public confrontations and legal challenges.
Motorists and haulage operators have long complained of harassment and conflicting demands from different agents, prompting repeated calls for clearer demarcation. The red T-shirts bearing “FCT Haulage” inscriptions have become a visible symbol of the overlap, with AMAC now explicitly distancing itself from their use.
