WHO SHOULD PAY TENEMENT RATES IN NIGERIA?

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CBN

𝗕𝗬: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝗷𝗲𝗶 [𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗼𝘅], 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

 

𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐱𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ,𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲.

CBN

𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝 , 𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬/𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐬.

 

This rate is vital for local government revenue, theoretically funding public infrastructure and essential community services. But the practice around it—especially regarding who pays and how the funds are used—has long raised questions of fairness, transparency, and responsibility.

 

⎚ 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐗𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲,𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱,𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀. 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆,𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁 ,𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴:

◆ 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬,𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬.

◆ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭-𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠.

◆ 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬.

◆ Properties occupied by elderly or retired persons and 𝐍𝐘𝐒𝐂 members
This selective approach emphasizes the idea that 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 shouldn’t burden individuals or organizations contributing to society in unique ways. But unfortunately, this principle of fairness often gets lost, leaving tenants and vulnerable property occupants unfairly saddled with the tax.

 

⎚ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐕𝐔𝐋𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐔𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐒:

In practice, tenants and occupiers—often pensioners, family house occupants, and small business owners—are expected to pay tenement rates instead of the landlords. This is contrary to the intended arrangement, where 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 are primarily liable for the rates on their properties. When landlords fail to pay these charges promptly, the burden shifts unfairly to 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬, who may lack the financial means or legal recourse to contest these demands.

 

For instance, pensioners and family home occupants, who are typically exempt from paying, still find themselves at the mercy of landlords who try to pass down the costs. Additionally, businesses, both big and small, have been cornered into paying ever-increasing 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬, leading to a broader outcry against perceived double taxation and corrupt practices among revenue officials.

 

⎚ 𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍:

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝. Too often, these funds are directed into private accounts rather than the public treasury, undermining their purpose. With little oversight, revenue collectors and consultants sometimes inflate charges arbitrarily, prioritizing personal gain over the public good. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬, 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬, 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 ,𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬—the very infrastructure these levies were intended to support.

 

Revenue consultants, 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 to collect tenement rates, often contribute to these irregularities. These consultants sometimes lack proper mandates or legislative approval and increase rates without justification, leaving tenants and property owners caught in the crossfire of fiscal manipulation.

 

⎚ 𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐘:

𝐀 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬, 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬, 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 ,𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 ,𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐈𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐩,𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬, 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

 

Notably, Next Level Resort’s recent lawsuit against the 𝗔𝗯𝘂𝗷𝗮 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 (𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗖) and the 𝗙𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗙𝗖𝗗𝗔) exemplifies growing opposition to these unfair practices. The case questions 𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗖’𝘀 authority to collect tenement rates alongside existing ground rent and federal taxes, raising broader concerns about double taxation and the lack of clear property inspections before billing.

 

⎚ 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐘 𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒?

Ultimately, the primary responsibility for tenement rates lies with property owners or landlords. Shifting this burden onto tenants, particularly when landlords are legally obligated to cover it, is not only unfair but also unsustainable. 𝐓𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐞. When landlords reside in their own properties, they become primarily liable for the rate; otherwise, they should bear secondary liability, ensuring the funds are collected as intended.

 

In any society, local councils play a role in managing public services, and they need financial resources to succeed. However, this responsibility must be balanced with accountability and transparency. By focusing on reforming the system, including discouraging revenue consultants, we can work toward a system that respects citizens’ rights and fosters genuine local development.

 

⎚ 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃: 𝗔 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Councillors and lawmakers have a duty to protect citizens’ rights. 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲

As citizens, we must advocate for reform, urging local governments to end revenue outsourcing to unaccountable consultants and demand transparency in fund allocation.

 

𝗔𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻,𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀,𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆,𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲-𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹.

 

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