The Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) on Tuesday, sealed two popular malls in the state, SPAR and ShopRite, over their failure to remit purchase tax to the government after being served several warning notices.
Perpetual Egwuonwu, Head of Department of ESIRS, that oversees eateries, hotels, bars and shopping malls, affirmed that the agency had visited the locked retail outlets on numerous intervals to ask for the purchase tax but they failed to remit such.
Egwuonwu noted that they have also appealed with the individuals involved to be remitting their taxes when due, but they have been unruly and till now they have not done anything concerning these directives.
“It is meritorious to note that after we met with the Roban store they uncovered our sticker and have obeyed to remit their purchase tax to the IRS.
Meanwhile, ShopRite has discouraged all our efforts to get them to do the necessary thing. It is always one story or another in the end. They assured us that before the end of February, they would do something but we are in March and the ESIRS have not gotten any feedback from them,” she asserted.
Egwuonwu emphasized that the retail outlets would remain sealed until the problems at hand are resolved.
In his views, Nnamdi Eneh, Public Relations Officer of ESIRS, stressed that the agency had gone to the media to enlighten and educate the masses on the need to remit their taxes.
He said: “Our public awareness program has been in progress for a while now. We have been educating the people and begging them to pay their taxes so as not to fall victim during Prosecution, but most of them remained stubborn.
“The aim here is not to destroy anybody’s business but since begging did not work, this is the only way to obligate them to do what they are meant to do.”
