Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Kwara revenue service warns tax defaulters

Mr Abdullahi urged business owners to be honest and shun tax evasion.

• January 15, 2025
Kwara State Internal Revenue Service
Kwara State Internal Revenue Service [Credit: Official website ]

Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS), on Wednesday, reiterated the importance of tax to economic and infrastructural development, warning that defaulters could no longer hide in the state.

The agency’s head of department, corporate planning, Muhammed Audu, in a sensitisation programme held in Ilorin on Wednesday, also enlightened the citizens on new tax reforms.

The programme is tagged “Enhancing Tax Compliance through Stakeholders’ Sensitisation and Engagement”.

Mr Audu, while delivering a paper on the implication of non-compliance, said the programme was to reawaken citizens’ responsibility to tax payment compliance and enlighten stakeholders on new tax reforms.

Mr Audu said the failure to pay tax, underreporting income, non-filling annual returns, overstating deductions and not remitting within record time attract penalties.

“The penalties are N50,000 for individuals and N500,000 for corporate organisations or six months imprisonment.

“Non-compliance causes risks to the government in the form of putting pressure on the government, loss of revenue and increase in debt,” he said.

Warning that tax defaulters no longer have a hiding place in the state, he urged the public to be self-compliant to avoid incurring more expenses.

“No hiding place for tax defaulters again in Kwara.

“We have your records. We have the power to ask banks for your bank statements, but we respect you so much and that’s why we ask you to bring your bank statements.

“There is punishment for tax defaulters or declaration of false statements. Please, always provide us with the true situation of your income to avoid punishment.

“We want to reduce the level of non-compliance, thus the need to discuss with taxpayers.

“We don’t want to be tyrannical, and that’s why you have been invited for discussion.

“Tax compliance is still low in Kwara State as some taxable adults and businesses still try to evade tax payments,” he said.

Earlier, KW-IRS chairman, Shade Omoniyi, said the programme became necessary because of the lack of adequate information and knowledge on the part of taxpayers.

This, she said, had been hindering the agency’s performance, just as she described taxation as the lifeblood of any economy.

She said the government could only provide critical infrastructure, quality education, healthcare and other essential public services through faithful payment of taxes.

“However, tax compliance remains a significant hurdle, and addressing this challenge requires deliberate strategies, collaboration, and continuous stakeholder dialogue.

“Today’s programme has been thoughtfully designed to address some of the pressing issues surrounding tax compliance and to provide practical insights for all stakeholders,” she said.

One of the participants, Mohammed Abdullahi, told journalists that the event was an eye-opener.

Mr Abdullahi urged business owners to be honest and shun tax evasion, saying that the state’s desired economic and infrastructural development rested on tax compliance.

(NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Abubakar Kyari

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo

States

Edo government bans unions from collecting haulage fees

He urged all stakeholders to take note of this directive and comply accordingly.

AMAC

Abuja

AMAC to arrest touts harassing motorists over revenue collection

Mr Okechukwu clarified that AMAC officials were well-trained and operated within the law, unlike the illegal touts.

Aliyu Abdullahi

Agriculture

FG to recapitalise Bank of Agriculture to boost food security

“We must keep producing and keep producing food for Nigerians,” he said.

Putin and Trump

Hot news Home top

Trump says talks to end Ukrainian war underway after phone call with Russia’s Putin

The American leader said both he and the Russian president reminisced about centuries-old history.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote

NationWide

Ogun speaker commends Dangote for economic interventions

He said the business mogul has commenced the export of products from the petroleum refinery to other parts of the world.

Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency

Lagos

Lagos: Policeman arraigned, remanded in Kirikiri for defiling 17-year-old inside station

The teenage girl was said to have gone to the station on June 29, 2024, to report about her stolen phone.