For the
second time in October, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has tackled
companies defaulting in tax payment and remittance to the Federal Government.
second time in October, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has tackled
companies defaulting in tax payment and remittance to the Federal Government.
It would be
recalled that the FIRS had on Oct. 3 clamped down on some oil companies in
Lagos for failing to pay their taxes.
recalled that the FIRS had on Oct. 3 clamped down on some oil companies in
Lagos for failing to pay their taxes.
In this
fresh exercise which took place on Tuesday in Lagos, six tax-defaulting
companies owing over N2 billion were visited.
fresh exercise which took place on Tuesday in Lagos, six tax-defaulting
companies owing over N2 billion were visited.
The exercise covered First Deepwater Oil Services; Lottoj; Alliance and
General Insurance; Leaders and Company Limited; Tonique Oil and Gas Services,
and TAK-Agro Fertiliser Company.
During the exercise, the FIRS had to make some arrests and carry desktop
computers and some financial documents from the companies, in order to
ascertain some financial claims.
computers and some financial documents from the companies, in order to
ascertain some financial claims.
Head of the operation, Mrs Anita Erinne, a senior manager in the legal
department of the
department of the
FIRS, said the enforcement exercise became necessary considering that
the companies had defaulted in tax payment for long.
the companies had defaulted in tax payment for long.
She lamented that the companies had also refused to keep to their
agreement on payment strategy for the benefit of all the parties in the
instance.
agreement on payment strategy for the benefit of all the parties in the
instance.
“We have to embark on the tax recovery exercise because after every
effort through meetings and correspondence on the issue of tax payment, the
companies failed to keep to the agreement,
effort through meetings and correspondence on the issue of tax payment, the
companies failed to keep to the agreement,
“What we are talking about here is tax-payers money, in the cases of
remittance, which is a criminal itself,” she said.
remittance, which is a criminal itself,” she said.
She made clear that at the point of enforcement, the FIRS had the right
to make arrests of not only the managing director of defaulting companies, but
also managers and other principal staff.
to make arrests of not only the managing director of defaulting companies, but
also managers and other principal staff.
The available records during the exercise showed that the First Deepwter
was defaulting in tax to the tune of N82.7 million as well as not having filled
returns since 2011.
was defaulting in tax to the tune of N82.7 million as well as not having filled
returns since 2011.
For Lottoj Oil and Gas, their tax default was N14.4 million and had not
filed returns since 2013, while the Alliance and General Insurance had failed
to pay up over N1.1 billion tax.
filed returns since 2013, while the Alliance and General Insurance had failed
to pay up over N1.1 billion tax.
The records showed that Leaders and Company Limited was defaulting in
tax to the sum of N228 million and had failed to file returns since 2005.
tax to the sum of N228 million and had failed to file returns since 2005.
Tonique Oil Service has failed in its responsibility to pay tax to the
tune of N28.9 million, the FIRS records showed, while TAK-Agro Fertiliser
Company also failed to pay up N960.3 million taxes.
tune of N28.9 million, the FIRS records showed, while TAK-Agro Fertiliser
Company also failed to pay up N960.3 million taxes.
Mrs Erinne added that the FIRS was working to ensure that
companies worked with payment strategies that would help them pay their
taxes and still run their businesses.
companies worked with payment strategies that would help them pay their
taxes and still run their businesses.
The FIRS however expressed disappointment that the banks had not
cooperated in enforcing the lien placed on some accounts of tax defaulting
companies as they still operated such accounts with ease.
cooperated in enforcing the lien placed on some accounts of tax defaulting
companies as they still operated such accounts with ease.
