Nigeria, March 30, 2016 – The Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) said all necessary machinery have been put in place to ensure enforcement of the tax laws with effect from April 1, this year.
Government also warned all erring tax payers to comply; reiterating that the full weight of the law will be brought to bear on taxable persons who fail to file requisite returns as provided by the law.
Executive Chairman of LIRS, Olufolarin Ogunsanwo said the board has a robust database that captures all taxable individuals and firms in Lagos State as well as transactions for the purpose of audit and that there is no hiding place for any tax evader.
He therefore called on every taxable person in Lagos State to take advantage of the window on or before the March 31 deadline to ensure that his or her tax return has been duly filed.
He added that The Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice will through the Rapid Tax Prosecution Unit commence prosecution of tax defaulters in Lagos State without further notice.
He said while many taxpayers had complied willingly by filing their returns in the last months, It is disheartening to note that in spite of all efforts by the LIRS, a large fraction of eligible taxpayers were still not complying, thereby failing to contribute to the common purse for the common good of all.
He said in the wake of little or no proceeds from the federation account, the focus of the present administration in renewing infrastructure and general development of the state could not be achieved by the attitude of those who deliberately refused to discharge their civic responsibility to the state.
“Without revenue, all of those things that facilitate our progress as a civilized community will not materialize, if there are no infrastructural developments like roads to get to business sites businesses cannot thrive, if we do not have all the services that government is compelled to offer, for example, security, education, healthcare, law and order, as it is being proffered by the court then we cannot make progress collectively,” he emphasised.
The LIRS boss said his organisation was spurred on by Section 82 of the Personal Income Tax Act (as amended).
Under the Personal Income Tax Act, a taxable person is statutorily required to file a return of income for the preceding year within 90 days from the commencement of every year of assessment (March 31 is the deadline), whilst any employer of labour is required to file all emoluments paid to its employees for the preceding year, not later than 31 of January each year.
He noted that any taxable person or corporate organisation who fails to file tax returns with LIRS by the stipulated date is in breach of the provisions of the law, which is a criminal offence which is punishable under the tax laws.
LIRS has in the last three months embarked on massive advocacy and enlightenment programmes, taking people through a process of education on the laws bordering on tax administration and the need and benefits of paying their taxes as and when due.
