LIRS issues 16-day ultimatum to taxpayers to pay their taxes

Executive Chairman, LIRS, Mr Hamzat Ayodele Subair

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has issued 16-day ultimatum to all taxpayers in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria to remit all overdue taxes/levies or faced prosecution.

The ultimatum, which has already begun ends on 16 December, 2016.

Executive Chairman, LIRS, Mr Hamzat Ayodele Subair said the service, had in the last few months embarked on massive advocacy and enlightenment programmes, taking Lagos residents and taxpayers through a process of education on the laws bordering on tax administration and the need and benefits of paying taxes as and when due.

“In spite of the significant decline in the allocation from the federation accounts, the Lagos State government is still embarking on massive infrastructural development and renewal; these cannot be achieved if tax payers deliberately refuse to discharge their civic responsibility to the State.

“Taxpayers are hereby advised to clear all outstanding payments on or before the 16th of December 2016, failing which the Lagos State Government will commence criminal prosecution of offenders, with full enforcement through distrain activities in line with relevant provisions of the Personal Income Tax Act 2004 (As amended),” he said.

Taxes to be remitted, according to Subair were: tax Audit Liability of back years, Personal Income Tax (PAYE, Direct Assessment, Self-Assessment), withholding Tax, Hotel Occupancy and Restaurants Consumption Tax and the Land Use Charge and Ground Rent.

“LIRS has put all the necessary machineries in place to ensure the enforcement of the tax laws with effect from December 17, 2016 when the grace period lapses,” he said, advising all taxpayers to comply, while reiterating that the full weight of the law would be brought to bear on any taxable persons or corporations who failed to remit all taxes/levies due.

-Kazeem Ugbodaga