FREEPRESS – The misconception surrounding alleged imposition of multiple taxation on the people of the State raised in the penultimate week by the Flag bearer of People Democratic Party, PDP, Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu has been refuted by the Acting Executive Chairman, Edo State Internal Revenue Service, Barr. Emmanuel Usoh describing him, as a greenhorn in taxation businesses.
Barr Usoh made the contesting statement while fielding questions from members of the State Journalists in his office recently in Benin City.
He noted that it was imperative for any right thinking government to protect the interests of her citizens while adding that it is not the doings of the government to sanction people to forcefully collect levies from the general public.
According to him, “I think the statement of Ize-Iyamu that we lack the ability to think outside the box or rather that we as a board are stuck is rather unfortunate and goes a long way to show the he is a novice when it comes to tax management’.
He further pointed out that the false impression surrounding the method of taxation in the State should be disregarded, stating that it was obligatory to pay an opening fee for any business been initiated, noting that it does not derogate tax payments.
“Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is not a taxpayer, we wrote to him that he was yet to declare his source of income, and he is yet to respond”.
Usoh disclosed that the Board of Internal Revenue has received massive development through this present administration, against the ills that befall tax officers in the past.
He said ” Before now tax officers were being driven from offices and institutions because they were badly paid or corrupt, but now tax can be paid through electronic method, so i don’t need to go to any office, as i can sit in my office and collect tax from people. That is how transparent our processes have become.
Mr. Usoh as regards to regulating illegal fees been paid by some members of the public to some self acclaimed “revenue collectors”, Usoh disclosed that they have set up a taskforce that will look into such situations on daily basis, stating that such persons are not from the government or the revenue service.
He further resolved the misconceptions surrounding the method of taxation in the State, stating that it was obligatory to pay an opening fee for any business been initiated, noting that it does not derogate tax payments.
“If i open a medicine store, it is obligatory for me to pay a opening fee and this does not lessen the tax, as i must continue to pay taxes for my business”, Usoh said.
Usoh further revealed that the EIRS was putting together a town hall meeting to dialogue with members of the public and also to award diligent and loyal tax payers in the state, disclosing that the programme is billed for September 1st.
Meanwhile the Edo State Internal Revenue Service has issued facts pertaining to misconceptions of taxation to religious bodies in the State.
In a release signed by the Acting Executive Chairman of the Board, Emmanuel Usoh (Esq) said all states in the federation were bound by the provisions of the Nigerian constitution and the various Federal tax laws to contravene the provisions of a federal law.
The release further read that Churches, Mosques and all other religious houses of worship are categorized as charitable organizations and as such are exempted from paying taxes.
 However, he explained that any Church, Mosque, or religious body that engages in any enterprise that employs labor and pay salaries to such staff is liable to remit the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax of such employees to the relevant tax authority.
Usoh also disclosed that only 171,000 persons pay their taxes in the State out of a taxable population of approximately 2.5million, noting that the State government will not promote any program or tax policy that will damage the excellent relationship that she shares with religious bodies in Edo State.
“Taxes are paid on income earned, other revenue items listed above are not taxes on income but are imposed for the use of utilities, infrastructure, right of way or activities within a particular area as prescribed by law”, he said
He however advised the public to refrain from paying heed to misguided rumors peddled by those behind it as he noted it was only meant to gain cheap political advancement.
By Eben Enasco Kingsley
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