Business
FIRS Cautions Tax Payers Against Fraudulent Officers
The Federal Inland Rev
enue Service (FIRS) has advised tax payers to pay tax at FIRS designated banks not to tax officers.
The Head, Communication and Servicom Department of the service, Mr Wahab Gbadamosi, told newsmen in Abuja that FIRS tax officers did not collect cash and cheques from taxpayers.
He said that the service only issued assessment notice to tax payers, adding that such notice could only be issued if a taxpayer had Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).
He said that the registration of TIN was free and advertisement on TIN had been on-going in electronic and print media in the country.
“Tax officers from FIRS do not collect cash and cheques from tax payers; taxpayers can only pay tax at any designated banks of FIRS.
“Any officer that comes to your office, Shopping mall and business centres, please request for the staff Identification Card (ID).
“If in doubt, contact any FIRS office and Tax Clearance Certificate for clarification,’’ Gbadamosi said.
Gbadamosi said most of the shops and business owners did not even have TIN, adding that tax was based on income.
He said that advertisement and jingles had been on going in the media since October 2015 to notify the general public on the service plans to commence nationwide Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax (WHT)compliance check.
Gbadamosi said that the objective of the exercise was to educate taxpayers on certain VAT and WHT issues, improve voluntary compliance, reduce tax arrears, boost revenue collection, identify tax evaders through third party transactions and gauge the level of taxpayers and FIRS relations.
According to him, “tax officers will be in groups of at least three persons and will be identified with their FIRS identity cards conspicuously displayed on their persons.
He said that full-fledged audit exercise started in Nov. 2, 2015.
Speaking on sealing of company premises, he said that before the service sealed any company premises, there must have been several notices made by FIRS to the companies.
“Where there are actual payment and firm commitment by exact payment schedule, because the thing is that our goal is not to kill business.
“Our goal is to collect revenue, and pay into the federation account.
“Where tax payers are not doing their own beat, FIRS also has the mandate to use the law,’’ He added.
The Tide correspondent, who spoke to some small business owners in Garki and Wuse in FCT, reported them as calling on FIRS to open more offices for effective and efficient tax payment.
Mrs Dami Adejola, Cosmetic dealer, said that any tax officer could move around with fake ID card to defraud the public, especially tax officers sealing business centres.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.
