The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mohammed Bello, to kick start the review of the Abuja Master Plan.
It says this has become imperative in view of the current socio-economic and demographic realities of the FCT.
National Assembly Correspondent, Joke Adisa reports that the legislators also frowned at illegal collection of taxes in the nation’s capital.
Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory was conceived in 1976 by a decree.
Its master plan was drawn in 1979, conceptualised as an inclusive and integrated sustainable city with a projected population of three million people.
But since the last census in 2006, Abuja population has risen from seven hundred and seventy six thousand to about seven million and with a projection of ten million by 2018.
The lawmakers say the continued influx of people to the FCT and its attendant economic and social challenges call for an immediate review of its master plan.
The House is also to investigate the continued collection of tenement rates and other taxes in the FCT by sources other than the FCT Inland Revenue Service.
The House Committee on FCT, had in October, directed the FCT Administration and the six area councils to suspend the collection of tenement rates until all areas of contention between them and the Revenue Service are resolved.
But the legislators accuse some individuals of indiscriminate and illegal collection of tenement rates and other taxes in the FCT
The lawmakers urged the FCT Minister to direct those engaged in the arbitrary collection to desist forthwith.
They are to find out why the FCT Inland Revenue Service has yet to take off since the promulgation of the Act establishing it.
The House urged residents of the capital territory to immediately cease payment of any such rates and property taxes.
