…..Shuts down Filling stations, others in Akure, Obaile
Acting on the judgment of the Chief Magistrate Grade 1, O. A Edwin on the 8th of August, 2022, the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) today November 21, 2022, sealed off five business hubs in Oba-Ile, Ado road and Oda road in Akure and environs for nonpayment of their land use charge.
They include : Segadot filling station, Oba Ile, owing two hundred thousand (200,000), Jofason Nig Ltd, Ado road, owing two hundred and fifty thousand (250, 000), Tunabi Oil and gas, Ado road, owing One hundred and twenty thousand (120, 000), Triple G guest house, Oda road, owing eighty thousand (80, 000), Eminent event center, Oda road, owing two hundred thousand (200,000).
Barrister Gregory Oyetan Afuwape, the Assistant Director, State counsel to the Ondo State Internal Revenue service (ODIRS) who led the enforcement team, described the enforcement exercise as successful one, even as many of the tax payers responded positively.
He added that the stubborn ones among the defaulters will surely face the wrath of law as the team will ensure that the hands of the law fall on them.
Afuwape stressed that Ondo State will not close her eyes against tax defaulters because the money generated from the tax are being used to construct roads and take care of the citizens of the State and failure to pay tax will set the state behind as there will be no progress.
He opined that the only procedure to unseal the premises is for the business owners to make the payment to the designated account of the Ondo State government, once that is done, the tax authority will unseal their business outlets.
Afuwape further added that anyone who unseals the business outlets without the authority of the Ondo State government, such person will be acting against the judgment of court which will attract a penalty of 7 years imprisonment for working against court order.
He urged the business owners to go and pay their tax liabilities else, their business outlets will remain locked till further notice.
He added that the enforcement is a signal to everyone in Ondo State who is occupying a land to come directly to Ondo State Government and make payment to avoid embarrassment.
