Govt Shuts Banks, Event Centers, Others For Tax Default

In continuation of an inter-ministerial enforcement exercise embarked upon by Osun Internal Revenue Service in order to comb the state of tax defaulters, some private establishments have been shut down, with a view to recover taxes, levies, rates and other remittances due to the state.

According to the Special Adviser on Tax and Revenue Matters, Mr. Jimoh Akano, the affected establishments include: Banks, Event Centres, Rental Service Providers, Cool Sports, Pools, Lotto Offices, Sport Betting Houses as well as privately owned Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions across the State.

A statement by the Information Officer of the OIRS, Wasiu Babalola said, some of the establishments shut were, Keystone Bank, Bank of Agric, Industrial and General Insurance Company (IGI), Victoria Medical Centre, Koseunti Maternity Home, Adeola Convalescent Home among others in Ilesha Zone.

In Osogbo Zone: God Favour Hospital, Triumph Medical Centre, Ife Olu Medical, Searchlight Laboratory, while in Ife Zone: Victory life Eye Centre, Gigles Dental Clinic and Maye Hospital among others were sealed.

Prior to this enforcement stage, Akano said, the agency had made special efforts to enlighten the populace of the civic duty of every income earner to be patriotic to state’s calling and see tax payment as an uncompromised responsibility.

He said, “the shutting down of the establishment was a follow up to the enlightenment.

Also, the Acting Chairman, Osun Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Bicci Alli said, the people of the state had earlier been notified of the on-going enforcement exercise, saying, “nobody is caught unaware”.

He reiterated that OIRS would no longer hesitate to take legal action against tax defaulters and tax evaders that fail to perform their civic responsibility to the state government interms of tax payment henceforth.

Noting that the law is clear on issues bordering on taxes and levies evasion, he insisted that the OIRS would continue to take advantage of the provisions of the law to prosecute recalcitrant corporate organisations and individuals without further notice.