Oyo to prosecute tax defaulters from next week

Governor Abiola Ajimobi

T tax  defaultersHE Oyo State Internal Revenue Service (OYIRS) has vowed to  prosecute tax evaders and offenders, from Wednesday, August 17.

Its Special Adviser, Biyi Oloko and Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism Toye Arulogun gave the warning yesterday while addressing reporters in Ibadan, the state capital.

He added that the board has inaugurated a team to tour the 33 local governments for enforcement of tax payment, with a warning that defaulters risk jail terms, fines or both.

The special adviser noted that for growth in education, health and other social services to be sustained, the citizenry must support the government’s revenue generation drive through payment of taxes and levies.

Oloko said:” The OYIRS has now put in place a databank on tax defaulters and is now embarking on an enforcement and prosecution drive that will take full advantage of the provisions of the tax laws to apprehend and prosecute tax defaulters.

“The Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice will, through a rapid tax prosecution process, commence prosecution of tax defaulters in Oyo State without further notice. Enforcement drive will commence Wednesday August 17.

“The Oyo State government, through the OYIRS, has put all the necessary machineries in place to ensure the enforcement of the tax laws and wishes to advise all erring taxpayers to comply forthwith and ensure immediate payment of any outstanding taxes, fines and levies. The full weight of the law will be brought to bear on taxable persons, who fail to comply.”

According to him, the government has set up a joint enforcement team with the local government to ensure a harmonised approach to the enforcement of the tax laws of both the state and local government.

To block leakages in revenue collection, Oloko added that the government has adopted electronic collection of revenues (POS) at all its revenue points.

He urged taxpayers not to make any cash payments to any individual other than directly into the designated revenue accounts in any of the collecting banks.

Oloko reiterated that the state would continue to take advantage of the provisions of the law to prosecute recalcitrant corporate organisations and individuals, stressing that all tax evaders and offenders, upon prosecution, may be fined or imprisoned.

He added that without revenue, infrastructural facilities like roads, security, education and healthcare that facilitate Oyo State’s growth will not be realized.

Oloko explained that OYIRS has over the past months, embarked on various advocacy and enlightenment programmes for stakeholder groups and took them through the essence of paying their taxes as at when due