…Committee To Itemize Legitimate Taxes Underway
Tax payers in Rivers State will soon heave a sigh of relief as soon as all the policies aimed at removing all encumbrances that make for double taxation in the past are put in place.
The Executive Chairman of Rivers State Internal Revenue Service, Adoage Norteh, made the declaration on Friday, June 21, 2019, in a stakeholders’ meeting to kickstart the informal sector taxes and levies drive in the State.
Towards this end, Norteh stressed, the State has been delineated into zones for ease of collection of taxes.
A committee that will comprise both staff of the State Revenue Service and representatives of various unions and other agencies is also being put in place to work out other modalities to ensure fair taxation for all categories of tax payers and ease of collection.
The State Internal Revenue Service is also working out, according to the Executive Chairman, the boundaries between the taxes and levies payable to the state, local and federal governments for clarity and ease of collection.
However, the State Revenue Service will no longer condone evasion of tax payment by whatever guise.
Adoage Norteh said from henceforth, tax payment by the informal sector has ceased to be an annual obligation and is now to be paid monthly. Mr. Norteh also warned that any evasion of legitimate tax and, or tax payer caught evading tax will be treated as a common criminal.
To also ensure fairness and checkmate the unwholesome activities of touts, the executive chairman said there is no more use of ‘middlemen’ tax collectors on behalf of the authority. And before the collection of such taxes, demand notices will first be served on payers, Norteh added.
Adoage Norteh also ordered that all previous demand notices of all kinds from whatever source be disregarded as all agencies and ministries involved in collection of taxes and levies will be joined in the harmonization process and new tax regime.
He also warned that no matter whatever and whoever is involved, on no account must any tax payment be made in cash.
Meanwhile, the informal sector taxes and levies drive will officially start July 1, 2019 across the State.
