The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, (FCT-IRS) has engaged 165 consultants to audit six years’ back duty taxes of Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), enterprises and corporate organisations.

The Executive Chairman of FCT-IRS, Abdulahi Attah, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja while speaking on some innovations the agency has put in place to improve the system of tax administration in the territory.

Mr. Attah, who said that the consultants were employed with the approval of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), added that the years of back duty taxes would be between 2015 and 2020.

According to him, the law requires taxable persons and organisations to file their annual returns on or before the end of March.

He noted that the services of the consultants became necessary because Abuja had numerous MDAs and companies.

“Abuja being the headquarters of Nigeria has 930 MDAs and many companies resident within. There is no way we would have enough staff to do that. So, we hired people to help us do this audit,” Attah said.

Mr. Attah further appealed to employers of labour to file their 2020 tax return and urged them to cooperate with the consultants in the discharge of their duties.

He said that the agency had written to many companies, saying that “some asked for an extension till April. We are willing to give them that extension.”

Mr. Attah also disclosed that with the approval gotten to automate most of the agency’s services, FCT-IRS would be 80 percent automated by the end of 2021 for transparency and accountability.

The FCT-IRS boss encouraged taxpayers to leverage on the newly established Call Centre to make their enquiries when necessary by dialling 070 0220 0002.