Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS), on Tuesday sealed off two biggest shopping malls, ShopRite and SPAR, in the metropolis over failure to remit purchase tax to the government after being served several warning notices.
Officials of ESIRS who were on the enforcement drive also said that other malls including Roban Stores have been warned to include purchase tax on the goods that the buyers pay.
The Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESIRS) HOD eateries, bars, hotels, and shopping malls, Egwuonwu Perpetual, said the agency has visited the sealed malls on several occasions to request for the purchase tax but they failed to remit such.
She added that they had also pleaded with the concerned individuals to be remitting their taxes when due.
“They have been recalcitrant and till now they have not done anything concerning these instructions.
“It is worthy of note that after we met with the Roban store they displayed our sticker and have complied with remitting their purchase tax to the IRS.
“On the other hand, ShopRite has frustrated all our efforts to get them to do the needful.
“It is always one story or another eventually they promised us that before the end of February, they would do something but we are in March and the ESIRS have not heard from them,” she said.
Egwuonwu stressed that the malls would remain closed until the issues at hand are resolved.
In the same vein, the PRO of ESIRS, Nnamdi Eneh, explained that the agency had gone on air to enlighten and educate the people on the need to remit their taxes.
“Our public enlightenment programme has been ongoing for a while now.
“We have been sensitising the people and pleading with them to pay their taxes so as not to fall victim during enforcement, but most of them remained adamant.
“The objective here is not to disrupt anybody’s business but since pleading did not work, this is the only way to compel them to do what they are supposed to do,” he said.
