The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) on Thursday alleged that ignorance and willful acts by tax payers were obstacles faced in collection of taxes by the government.
Mrs Folasade Coker-Afolayan, Head of LIR Enforcement Unit, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that consultants handling tax issues for many companies were often to blame.
Coker-Afolayan said many of the consultants were not sincere in their dealings with companies when advising them on their tax obligations.
She said that LIRS sealed eight companies for failing to remit N66.7 million of their workers’ personal income taxes on Feb. 5.
Coker-Afolayan said that some employers were in the habit of deducting workers’ taxes and deliberately refusing to remit such monies into government’s coffer.
She promised that LIRS would continue to enforce tax laws to recover what belonged to the state government.
The LIRS official also alleged that members of the tax team were often molested and in most cases beaten up by officials of defaulting firms.
She urged those involved in such acts to desist, stressing that it was an offence to molest any official on lawful duty.
Coker-Afolayan urged taxpayers to remit their taxes promptly to enable the government to function effectively.
“Tax payment is a civic responsibility of everyone and the only way government can provide the necessary infrastructure for its citizenry
“It is also the avenue to improve the standard of living of electorates,” she said.
Coker-Afolayan warned tax payers not to break government seals posted on defaulting companies as it constituted an offence to do so.
“It is a criminal offence to break government’s seals pasted on the entrance of sealed companies,” she said.
NAN recalls that the LIRS sealed 23 companies in January over non-remittance of N326.6 million personal income taxes of workers. (NAN)
© anu for Royal Times of Nigeria Newspaper, 2014. |
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