FIRS Shuts Companies Over N368m Tax Debt

Business activities were, on Thursday, grounded in some companies in Lagos, Enugu and Abuja, as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) enforcement teams closed their premises over tax debts totaling N368.11 million. In Yaba, Lagos, the office of Courteville Business Solutions Plc, was shut over a tax debt of over N313 million. A company official told the FIRS team that he was aware of the company’s debt, but not sure of the exact amount. He explained that the company’s Group Managing Director was not available to clear up the matter, an explanation ignored by the enforcement team which ordered staff to vacate the office building for it to be sealed. In Enugu, the office Afri-Hub, an Information Communication Technology firm, situated at the Institute of Management and Technology, was similarly shut. The company owes N2.54million. The agency's enforcement team led by Ruth Mandeun said the exercise was not a witch-hunt, but to recover tax debts. In Abuja, two engineering firms were shut-down at Apo by the FIRS. HeriProm Engineering limited was sealed for owing N32.3million. Equally sealed was the office of De-Tither International Limited, which has a tax liability of N20.2million, made up of income tax, withholding tax and education tax from 2008 to 2013.

Coal City Rocks as GOtv Customer Fair Hits Enugu State

Enugu city was erupted in jubilation last Saturday, as GOtv held a Customer Fair to celebrate its subscribers as part of activities to mark its fifth anniversary in Nigeria. The city rocked under heavy sound of music, jokes and dance, with top entertainers, including Mr Ibu, Daddy Showkey, Oritsefemi, Aki and Pawpaw, Helen Paul and DJ Kentalky thrilled subscribers and fans. Also in attendance were fun lovers, GOtv dealers and sales agents. Headline acts of the day were musicians Oritsefemi and Daddy Showkey. Daddy Showkey registered his presence at the venue with his new song One Day and ever green Diana and Showkey hits, leaving the audience spellbound. The fair started out with comedy from Helen Paul, who left the audience in stitches. Top mix from DJ Kentalky held the crowd captivated as he set the tone for what was to come. Mr. Ibu, Aki and Pawpaw took over, providing jokes which provoked high-wattage laughter. There was a dancing competition and the giving out free GOtv decoders and other freebies to lucky winners. Oritsefemi rocked fans with his hit songs which threw the fans off their seats to the dancing floor to catch ecstatic fun. Subscribers who had difficulty with their hardware or service were attended to by the GOtv Clinic set up at the venue for that purpose. The next installments of the Customer Fair will take place in Ibadan on October 22, Abuja on October 29 and Lagos on November

FIRS Shuts Firms In Warri, Lagos, Ilorin Over Unpaid Taxes

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), yesterday, ramped up its tax enforcement drive when its teams shut down premises of companies with tax liabilities in Warri, Lagos and Ilorin. In Warri, Delta State, the enforcement team visited two companies.At JAD Construction, along Enerhen Road, the FIRS team evicted all the staff before sealing off the premises for unremitted taxes in excess of N400million, accumulated from 2013. Efforts by a management staff, simply identified as Mr. Ben, to present some tax clearance documents as proof of payment were rebuffed. The by the enforcement team insisted they had a duty to seal unless there was verifiable proof of payment of the said arrears. "These defaulters had the option of clearing the arrears to avoid being sealed even at the point we came in. Now they still have a duty to settle the debt to get unsealed. If they fail to settle the arrears or attempt to operate under FIRS lock and key, we have other measures of enforcement against them,” said Mandeun. At Bredero Pipelines Services at Sedco Road, Uvwie Local Government Area, the team met a team of policemen at the premises. The policemen claimed the company has been shut for more than three years following a court injunction restraining the workers or management from working there pending determination of court case between management and staff. The company has an aggregate debt tax of N178,638,649.90 In Lagos, the enforcement team, led by Chinazor Edeh, visited Dee Jones Petroleum and Gas Limited at Beachland Estate, Apapa. The company is said to owe N31million, a tax debt the operational manager said he was not aware of. He later phoned the company’s tax consultant, who admitted that the company is owing but asked for more time to enable it pay. This was rejected by Edeh, who insisted that the company had to pay immediately or have its premises shut. Edeh ordered the premises shut at about 11.50am. The enforcement team in Ilorin, Kwara State, visited Kwara Hotels, where the new management, Integrated Services Limited, explained that it was neither aware that the previous management had a N10.5million tax liability nor of correspondences between the hotel and the FIRS. The argument ended when a call was put the FIRS headquarters, which confirmed the existence of the hotel’s tax liabilities. The new management then signed an undertaking to reach the previous management and revert to the FIRS within 30 days. Also in Ilorin, the FIRS team visited Henry George Company Limited, which owes a little over N2million. But the company escaped being shut having paid a part of money on Monday and its officials were headed to the bank to pay the balance while the enforcement team was in the premises. On Monday, an FIRS enforcement team, visited the premises of Eagle Package Printing Limited in Ota, Ogun State, over a tax liability in excess of N21million. However, the company was not sealed, as members of its management ordered the payment of in N10millio

Etisalat and Glo endorses Ogbadibo Cultural Carnival

The much talked cultural carnival in Benue state, Ogbadibo street carnival tag to be the biggest street carnival ever has been endorsed by the nation 2 giant telecommunication company recently. Etisalat and Glo endorses Ogbadibo Cultural Carnival. its a must see street party no one wishes to miss, according to the public relation officer of the carnival Deborah Ocharifu who recently review this through her Facebook page says its going to be a carnival of networking. "nobody should miss Out, as she promises the carnival will be no dulling Moment. Ogbadibo Cultural Carnival! see you in December 26th,27 and 28.

Nigeria Elected ATAF President,

Nigeria Elected ATAF President, Defeats Togo 13-4 Nigeria was, yesterday evening, elected President of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), defeating Togo by 13 votes to four in the Forum's elections held in Pretoria, South Africa. Nigeria's representative in ATAF is Mr. Babatunde Fowler, Executive Chairman, and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Launched in November 2009 in Kampala, Uganda, ATAF‘s mission is to provide a platform to improve the capacity, capability and performance of tax administrations in Africa. ATAF has, in the five years, made tremendous progress. Mauritius was voted Vice President. Also elected into the 10-country council were South Africa, Ghana, Burundi, Uganda and Liberia. The 36 member-forum is made up of tax collecting agencies across Africa. In his acceptance speech on behalf of Nigeria, Fowler pledged to expand the membership of the Forum for the continent's development and he said the forum goal shall be shall be to aid the generation of revenue efficiently and sufficiently for the growth of all members.

SWEET BIRTHDAY MESSAGE FROM NIGERIA TO ACTRESS OKPE SUSAN IN GHANA

A Poem BY SUNNY GREEN

STANZA (1) In Nigeria are mine on a bay (a) When a bird from Ghana whispered into my ears it's your birthday (a) The red cock crowed (b) And I quickly roared (b) Happy birthday! (a) STANZA (2) I look through the window (a) I see the sun in the snow (a) I see the blue sky (b) And how I wish I have a skit (b) I will fly with a red rose (b) To Ghana close to your shadow (a) STANZA (3) I couldn’t take a flight (a) Because of Nigeria's economy’s fight (a) So I decided to pen this down to you at that end (b) I write; "To a sister and friend" (b) To a beauty of thousands (c) To Okpe Susan (c) Toast to Manex Productions' mega-star (d) Toast to Ogbadibo Carnival model-gear (d) Toast to an epitome of beauty (e) And a symbol of equity (e) HAPPY BIRTHDAY S U S AN!

BENUE STATE GOVERNMENT ENDORSES OGBADIBO CULTURAL CARNIVAL

Upon the registration of the carnival and it approval by the Federal Ministry of Culture and letter of partnership from the Government of Benue state, The Founder/President of Ogbadibo Cultural Carnival Cmr.Agada Manex Johnson began a Consultation/Endorsement Tour that saw almost all the who-is-whos in Idomaland and beyond endorsing the carnival. From the Och'Otukpa Chief.Olema Sunday Ekele, to the Och'Orokam/Ad'Ogbadibo Chief.D.E Enenche, to the Och'Owukpa Chief.Onomo Emmanuel Ujah, to Sen.David Mark, to Hon. Mrs.Ada Mark Ogbole, to Chief.Audu Ogbe, to Chief.Steven Lawani, to Hon.Christain Adaba Abah, to Gen.Chris Garuba, to Dr.Mathias Oyigeya, to Prof.Jerry Agada, to Hon.Hassan Saleh and others too numerous to mention. Like Nency Mandela's "Long Walk to Freedom", the dream of Ogbadibo Cultural Carnival is fast becoming a reality! Come December 26-28 2016 Otukpa will be agog for Benue's biggest street cultural carnival, a must see street OGBADIBO CULTURAL CARNIVAL.