The Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) has sealed off a total of 20 establishments in the hospitality industry in the state over alleged non remittances of consumption taxes to the government.
BusinessDay reports that the sealing was in line with the determined efforts of the agency to effectively generate revenue for the state to meet its developmental programmes.
Victor Okube, director of tax intelligence and enforcement department of the revenue service, who made the disclosure in Benin City, said over 70 hotels, eateries and joints had been identified for enforcement.
He said the affected organisations failed to comply with the hotels and event centres occupancy and restaurants consumption law of the state, otherwise known as “Consumption Tax.”
Okube listed the affected establishments sealed to include Royal Kada Fried, De Mariot Hotel Limited, Meridian Lodge, Koso International Hotel, Anna Vinni Bar & Restaurant, Indigo Lounge, Dema Suit and Hotel, Aso Phil Carwash & Bar, Hotel De Eto, Tomline Royal Centre, among others.
He said the enforcement, which is a routine exercise, was to ensure that operators in the hospitality industry comply with the tax law that became operational in 2011 in Edo State, saying the cashless collection and payment policy was still in force.
He however advised all collecting agents of sealed establishments to remit all collected consumption taxes into the designated Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) bank accounts or make payments through Point of Sales (PoS) machine with the use of their Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card.
IDRIS UMAR MOMOH, BENIN
