BY Samuel Akpan
The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has asked bakery operators within the area to pay N100,000 for “gaseous emission permit”.
In a letter to bakery owners seen by TheCable, Ahmed Haruna, director of public health, AMAC, said the levy is for discharge of “harmful hazardous substances” into the air, water and land.
According to him, failure to comply with the directive is a “punishable offence”, and could lead to the arrest of the operator and suspension of the bakery’s activities.
“The management of Abuja Municipal Area Council Environment Services Department (ESD) Bodies, wishes to notify you of levy/fees due to Abuja Area Council for Gaseous Emission Permit Limit,” the letter reads.
“This includes the discharge of harmful hazardous substances into the air or the land and water in Nigeria by the activities of industries, warehouses, bank, either from generators or heavy-duty, drilling, production, construction and manufacturing equipment, filling stations, etc.
“This is in line with the provision of Section (2C) of the fourth schedule of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended under the function of the Local Government Authority and Federal Environmental Protection Agency Act (FEPA) part (iii) section 25 which establish the Local Council Authority to regulate, enforce and collection of levies for the interest of public health importance (welfare) section (18), (20), (21), (26) and 27 and other relevant laws of National Environmental Health Practice Regulation 2016 which confers on the council the power to regulate, inspect, control and collection of levies/fees.”
When speaking to TheCable on the development, Haruna said the amount is open to negotiation.
“Even the N100,000, you can negotiate. We have a partner doing the job. So they can invite the partner for negotiation so it may be lesser than that. It depends on agreement with the partner. But you pay into AMAC’s account,” he said.
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