Ize-Iyamu is a novice to tax management – EIRS boss

Mr Usoh who made the statement at the EIRS headquarters in Benin City Monday at an interactive session with journalists, said it was obligatory that government must protect the interest of it’s citizen, noting that it is not the doings to sanction individuals to collect levies  from the public.

According to him “I think the statement of ize-iyamu that we lack the ability to think outside the box or rather that we as a board are stuck is rather unfortunate and goes a long way to show the he is a novice when it comes to tax management.

“Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is not a taxpayer, we wrote to him that he was yet to declare his source of income, and he is yet to respond”.

Usoh said that the Board of Internal Revenue has received massive development through this present administration, against the ills that befall tax officers in the past.

He said ” Before now tax officers were being driven from offices and institutions because they were badly paid or corrupt, but now tax can be paid through electronic method, so i don’t need to go to any office, as i can sit in my office and collect tax from people. That is how transparent our processes have become.

He said as regards to regulating illegal fees been paid by some members of the public to some self acclaimed “revenue collectors”, Usoh disclosed that they have set up a taskforce that will look into such situations on daily basis, stating that such persons are not from the government or the revenue service.

He further resolved the misconceptions surrounding the method of taxation in the State, stating that it was obligatory to pay an opening fee for any business been initiated, noting that it does not derogate tax payments.

“If i open a medicine store, it is obligatory for me to pay a opening fee and this does not lessen the tax, as i must continue to pay taxes for my business”, Usoh said.

Usoh further revealed that the EIRS was putting together a town hall meeting to dialogue with members of the public and also to award diligent and loyal tax payers in the state, disclosing that the programme is billed for September 1st.

Meanwhile the Edo State Internal Revenue Service has issued facts pertaining to misconceptions of taxation to religious bodies in the State.

In a release signed by the Acting Executive Chairman of the Board, Emmanuel Usoh (Esq) said all states in the federation were bound by the provisions of the Nigerian constitution and the various Federal tax laws to contravene the provisions of a federal law.

The release further read that Churches, Mosques and all other religious houses of worship are categorized as charitable organizations and as such are exempted from paying taxes.

It however said any Church, Mosque, or religious body, that engages in any enterprise that employs labour and pay salaries to such staff, is liable to remit the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax of such employees to the relevant tax authority.

Usoh also disclosed that only 171,000 persons pay their taxes in the State out of a taxable population of approximately 2.5million, noting that the State government will not promote any program or tax policy that will damage the excellent relationship that she shares with religious bodies in Edo State.

“Taxes are paid on income earned, other revenue items listed above are not taxes on income but are imposed for the use of utilities, infrastructure, right of way or activities within a particular area as prescribed by law”, he said

He further adviced the public to refrain from paying heed to misguided rumours being peddled for gaining cheap political advancement.