Ekiti State Government has debunked insinuations of imposition of multiple taxation or introduction of new ones on people in the State.
Speaking during a meeting with the Management of the State Internal Revenue Service led by the Agency’s Chairman, Mr. Olaniran Olatona, the State Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun explained that the remarkable growth in revenue generation is a direct consequence of blocking loopholes and deploying technology for the collection of revenue as well as ensure the money collected is judiciously spent on development.
Olatunbosun who described the purported protest as misguided, stressed the commitment of the State Government to ensuring that the people pay fair tax, adding that the State’s tax system has been designed to be progressive, transparent and neutral.
Noting that the Best of Judgment (BOJ) assessment remains the most reasonable and globally accepted tax practice that can help ensure that all eligible taxpayers contribute fairly to Ekiti State’s economic development, Olatunbosun said it only applies in cases where taxpayers fail to submit accurate and complete financial records as required by law.
The Commissioner advised taxpayers to seek clarification in any of the EKIRS offices, and take advantage of available dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce misunderstandings and misgivings.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Olaniran Olatona reiterated that commitment of his agency to promotion of equity, accountability, and sustainable economic development through a simple, transparent, just and fair tax system.
According to him, any taxpayer who disagrees with a BOJ assessment has the right to object and provide supporting financial records for a review, stressing that the agency remains open to dialogue and fair resolution of disputes through appropriate channels.
He said, “We run an open door policy and my office is open to attend to complaint and enquires round the clock. We are indeed for the development of the state and we will continue to sensitize the people on the essence of paying tax while our officials would be humane but firm”
2 Comments
Dipo
There is no doubt that Ekiti State should improve on revenue drive but the approach should be more civil. There are cases of arbitrary BOJ as claimed but the revenue officials were too arrogant. They insisted on payments of unreasonable and unrealistic levies on peasants. For example, Mr Olatona had to personally intervened on the issue of a school owner. A woman opposite my shop had her shop locked up for3 days until she paid #15,000. I have to personally give the woman about half of it to pay before she could balance up. The totality of her shop capital is not up to #200k
From my own experience, a newly. registered company is requested to pay 3 years tax clearance. Do one pay for years the company is yet to come into existence ? There is also the case of two women that lost their breadwinner husband in an accident a year ago and since then had been managing to cater for themselves through food selling. You need to see their shop, yet they were billed 30k each. Appeal to treat them as a family were resisted until they pay separately. So, the issue should be well addressed .
It is not an issue of multiple taxation as claimed. Though the VAT system on Nigeria is multiple taxation, but that is general.
Payment of taxes is a civil responsibility and the respective actors should be fair in their assessment. One of them was even saying that the point of pay is wrong. I don’t know what that means since the payment is into the same account.
Olubukola Temitope
Yes
The decision is right