The Kogi government has given businesses across the state a one-month grace to register their business premises and pay taxes.

Gabriel Olofu, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, stated this at a joint press conference by the ministry and the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) on Tuesday in Lokoja.

Mr Olofu explained that the ‘Kogi State Government of Nigeria Registration of Business Premises Law 2007, Section 2(4) of Registration of Business Premises Law and other Matters Connected Therewith 2007’, interpreted business premises to mean “the premises on which a company, firm or individual carries on any business.”

“We urge business operators to pay their taxes directly into KGIRS specified account and obtain receipt or teller and thereafter proceed to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to obtain your Business Premises Certificates from the commissioner,” added Mr Olofu. “Business operators in the state are given a grace period of one month to pay their taxes with effect from today. And at the expiration of one month, the state task force on revenue drive would tour round all business establishments in the state to enforce the law.”

He noted that the ministry and the KGIRS had area tax officers to assist taxpayers in making their payments with ease, adopting the government’s cashless policy.

Mr Olofu further explained that the list of businesses covered a wide range of enterprises of about 100 different businesses.

“The list also contains new areas of tax drive, such as POS, miners, contractors handling jobs for the Kogi state government and others,” he said.

(NAN)