No fewer than 100 private and public institutions located in Osun State have been identified as tax defaulters whose premises would be sealed off any moment from now.
Already, two hospitality concerns – Royal Spring Holiday Inn, Osogbo and Hotel Heritage, Osogbo, have been sealed off for allegedly defaulting in the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) to the tune N2.8 billion.
While Royal Spring Holiday Inn, Osogbo, owes the state an outstanding liability of N2.3 billion, the Hotel Heritage, Osogbo, is defaulting to the tune of N5.6 million.
The Acting Chairman of the Osun State Internal Revenue Generation Service, Femi Balogun, who disclosed on Sunday while fielding questions from newsmen in Osogbo, said no less than 100 private and public establishments are current under the radar of the agency, adding that the agency would not hesitate to expose and publish their names.
Balogun noted that the affected establishments have been recalcitrant after the duty assessment carried on their premises, stating that the agency would apply the PAYE law to the letter in the state, maintaining that the law is a federal law and not a state introduced law.
According to him, “we are imploring all tax payers in the state to be alive to their responsibility, as all those that are owing us would have their names published and exposed. The agency will go further to recover all money that is due for the state.”
He disclosed that the agency would equally look at taxation angle of the informal sector that comprises all the artisans, market women and individuals that are not under PAYE.
He added that the agency have mapped out strategies that would encourage all tax payers to carry out self assessment and pay, through all the designated banks, to the state government.
He, therefore, appealed to all the residents of the state to effect the payment of their outstanding taxes, adding that the payment of tax would be a prelude to the issuance of tax clearance cards to be tagged “Omoluabi cards”.
This card, he said, would be a clear evidence of performing civic obligation towards development of our dear state.
