By Kunle SHONUGA
The Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) has commenced the recovery of over N30 billion non-remitted taxes by companies, agencies and institutions in the state.
The Chairman of ESIRS, Mr Emeka Odo, disclosed this in Enugu on Wednesday after sealing off eight offices, which comprised companies, agencies and institutions in the state.
Odo said the sealed offices were located within Enugu and Nsukka towns in the state. He said the offices included three hotels, two federal institutions, a bank, a filling station and a telecommunications company.
“This sealing off is the first phase of our move to recover taxes accruing to the state government but not remitted by some tax-paying companies, agencies and institutions in the state.
“The sealed offices will not be opened until they pay up their tax debts. We have earlier written and dialogued with management of these establishments on the issue but they refused to pay after the grace period given to them.
“We went to court yesterday and obtained ex parte motion to recover the funds and take other necessary measures to recover the debt in accordance with the statutory law establishing the ESIRS.’’
Odo said the ESIRS would ensure that every tax-paying individual, company, agencies and institutions pay up their taxes to allow the state government to continue in its development and social services drive.
“This internal revenue service will ensure that every tax paying eligible individual, company, agencies and institutions in the state fulfilled its obligation to the government and Enugu State people.
“There will be no hiding place and our team of enforcement officers will surely get to them to collect any debt owed the state government in terms of taxes and other statutory remittances.’’
The chairman said the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Microfinance Bank, was among the eight sealed offices.
He expressed regret that UNN allegedly owed over N12 billion tax debts to the state government, claiming it was the highest debt owed the ESIRS.
“We are getting ready to storm UNN and it will be soon, as we have written severally and even met the management but nothing is forthcoming.’’
Odo urged property owners to ensure they paid up their property tax before the expiration of the current three months grace period given to them.
“Once the three months elapses, we start collecting penalty for late payment. And for people that will not pay for over a year, we will go to court and get an injunction to seal and take over the property through receivership and other things to recover the debt,’’ he said.
