The Rivers State Internal
Revenue Service (RIRS) is poised for increased revenue henceforth following the release of a Federal Government Official Gazette covering approved taxes and levies at all levels of government.
The Official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria NO.77 Vol 102 is dated May 23, 2015 but was released on June 9, 2015. The Gazette is an Extraordinary Government Notice (No.76) which is an adjustment to the Schedule to the Taxes and levies (Approved list for Collection) Act Cap. T2, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014.
The adjustment added some new taxable subheads such as the National Information Technology DeVelopment levy, land Use Charge, Hotel, Restaurant or Event Centre Consumption Tax, Entertainment Tax, Wharf landing Charge, and some others.
The Law has also removed the ceiling on Business Premises Registration and Renewal fees in urban and rural areas and left it in the hands of each State.
The tax law made available to The Tide indicate that an entirely new section (Part IV) has been added to deal with “Harmonised Taxesand Levies” which emphasises that the collection of the taxes and levies listed in the law are harmonised between the State and Local Governments. Such harmonised taxes and levies indude Inter-State Road Taxes Sticker designed by the Joint Tax Board, Single Haulage Fee, Wharf Landing Charge, etc.
In a statement in Port Harcourt, the RIRS noted that by this development, the Service and other revenue agencies of States have been given clear mandate by law to collect taxes and levies on more subheads and thereby increase the locally generated income of the states.
The Tide gathered that 14 new tax subheads have been added for the States to collect, including land use charge; hotel, restaurant or event centre consumption tax; entertainment tax; environmental (ecoloqical) fee; mining, milling and quarry fees; animal trade tax; produce sales tax; slaughter or abattoir fee (where State Finance is involved); infrastructure maintenance charge; fire service charge; property tax; economic development levy; social services contribution levy; and signage and mobile advertisement jointly collected by states and local governments.
These are aside existing subheads collectible by the States such as personal income tax in respect of Pay-As-You-Eam (PAYEE); and direct taxation (self-assessment). There is the withholding tax (individuals only); capital gains tax (individuals only); stamp duties on instruments executed by individuals; pools betting and lotteries, gaming and casino taxes; and road taxes.
A major amendment to States’ list may be the removal of the limit to the amount a State or Local government could impose on business premises. Before now, the maximum was N10,000 per year with renewal at N5,000.
Now that States look deeper inwards for increased internally generated revenue (IGR), it is expected that tax payers would obey the law and pay their taxes at the appropriate time as the RIRS says it is now poised to ensure the effective collection of all taxes due the State.