The Acting Chairman of Kogi State Internal Revenue Service KGIRS, Sule Salihu Enehi has told PDP and other interested parties that Governor Yahaya Bello has no hands in the nearly introduced signage laws and the verification of Tax Clearance Certificates, saying it is purely the concern of the state tax administration.
The clarification is coming on the heels of reports by some media platforms that the billboards charges of thirty seven million and five hundred thousand naira #37.5M for each political party and verification of Tax Clearance demand notice by the kogi state internal Revenue Service was targeted at the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
The Chairman made the disclosure on Wednesday in Lokoja at a press conference to highlight on the newly introduced tax law in the state.
The Chairman pointed out that any action of the revenue service has a constitutional backing, quoting From “Section 85 (2) of Personal Income Tax, 2021 as amended, vest the power to verify tax clearance certificate in the issuing tax authority”.
He disclosed that obtaining a tax clearance through misrepresentation, forgery, falsification, according to the law is guilty of an offence and such offender is liable for prosecution.
“The Kogi state government through the state house of assembly passed the law tagged “Kogi state of Nigeria a law to provide for the regulation of outdoor structures for the display of signage , hoarding and advertisements in Kogi state and for other matters connected therewith 2022”
The acting chairman who stated that the law was assented to by Governor Yahaya Bello in September, 2022, empowered KGIRS to enforce its implementation.
“Therefore for any body or organisation to come out now and claim that Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, brought the law to witch hunt opposition parties in the state is ruse and far from truth.
“Just like the notice was served to the opposition PDP, it was equally served to all the registered political parties in the State, including the ruling APC. the same notice was served to Ministries, extra Ministry Departments, and Agencies. We consider the statement of PDP as frivolous and unacceptable.
” We gave a window of fourteen days from the date of receipt of the demand notice for objections and complaints. Hence, we expect PDP to utilise the window rather than rushing to the press “. The chairman advised.
———- Forwarded message ———
From: Atabor Julius <ataborandjulius@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2022, 15:52
Subject: Gov. Bello has no hands in Billboards charges, Tax Clearance Certificates, KGIRS tells PDP
To: <charlesokoh126@gmail.com>, <charlesokoh126@yahoo.com>, <independentnewsroom@gmail.com
From: Atabor Julius <ataborandjulius@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Nov 2022, 15:52
Subject: Gov. Bello has no hands in Billboards charges, Tax Clearance Certificates, KGIRS tells PDP
To: <charlesokoh126@gmail.com>, <charlesokoh126@yahoo.com>, <independentnewsroom@gmail.com
Gov. Bello has no hands in Billboards charges, Tax Clearance Certificates, KGIRS tells PDP.
ATABOR JULIUS LOKOJA
The Acting Chairman of Kogi State Internal Revenue Service KGIRS, Sule Salihu Enehi has told PDP and other interested parties that Governor Yahaya Bello has no hands in the nearly introduced signage laws and the verification of Tax Clearance Certificates, saying it is purely the concern of the state tax administration.
The clarification is coming on the heels of reports by some media platforms that the billboards charges and verification of Tax Clearance demand notice by the kogi state internal Revenue Service was targeted at the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.
The Chairman made the disclosure on Wednesday in Lokoja at a press conference to highlight on the newly introduced tax law in the state.
The Chairman pointed out that any action of the revenue service has a constitutional backing, quoting From “Section 85 (2) of Personal Income Tax, 2021 as amended, vest the power to verify tax clearance certificate in the issuing tax authority”.
He disclosed that obtaining a tax clearance through misrepresentation, forgery, falsification, according to the law is guilty of an offence and such offender is liable for prosecution.
“The Kogi state government through the state house of assembly passed the law tagged “Kogi state of Nigeria a law to provide for the regulation of outdoor structures for the display of signage , hoarding and advertisements in Kogi state and for other matters connected therewith 2022”
The acting chairman who stated that the law was assented to by Governor Yahaya Bello in September, 2022, empowered KGIRS to enforce its implementation.
“Therefore for any body or organisation to come out now and claim that Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, brought the law to witch hunt opposition parties in the state is ruse and far from truth.
“Just like the notice was served to the opposition PDP, it was equally served to all the registered political parties in the State, including the ruling APC. the same notice was served to Ministries, extra Ministry Departments, and Agencies. We consider the statement of PDP as frivolous and unacceptable.
” We gave a window of fourteen days from the date of receipt of the demand notice for objections and complaints. Hence, we expect PDP to utilise the window rather than rushing to the press “. The chairman advised.
