Anambra state government has intensified its revenue generation drive as the Anambra Internal Revenue Service (AIRS) confirmed sending direct tax notices to Anambra indigenes and residents through text messages.
This was confirmed by the Head, Public Relations Unit, Personal Income Tax, AIRS, Mrs Sylvia Uzoma Ngige, who admitted that the text messages originated from the service.
She explained that the charges are statutory obligations of earning citizens to the government, adding that it was a direct tax charged on the income of a person and that what was payable is dependent on the amount of income which the person earns from economic activities.
Ngige said those who got the messages and claimed they lived outside Anambra should go to the online portal of the Service and file returns.
She said, “According to law, the government may impose a tax on PIT of an individual and entity, and a development levy which is a flat charge imposed on every taxable person typically within a state.
“In the case of those living outside Anambra, they must have obtained Anambra State Social Identity number (ANSSID) now Anambra State Identity Number (ASIN) and made a transaction with Anambra government.
“ASIN is the citizens’ tax identification with the state, since he claimed he lives in Lagos and does business there, the expectation is that he should file a return and pay to the Lagos state government.
“They should also file a return to the Anambra government with evidence to prove that they declared all income in their states of residence and are not supposed to pay PIT to the Anambra government.’’
A sample of the demand tax notice reads, “Dear …, you are in default of remitting N175,117.34 as Personal Income Tax for 2021 to ANSI. Pay now to avoid further penalties. www.Anambra.tax.”
However, some indigenes and residents of Anambra have since expressed their displeasure at the text messages and indiscriminate distribution of tax demand notices by AIRS, wondering how AIRS arrived at the sum for everyone despite the differences in their earnings.
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They added that the same text messages were sent to even pensioners and some Anambra indigenes residing outside the state asking for the same amount as tax.
It would be recalled that the Anambra state government through the AIRS had announced that it will commence the enforcement of payment of all outstanding tax liabilities by businesses and individuals in the state with effect from April 1.
The outstanding tax bill which was put at N513.9 billion by the out-gone Chairman of AIRS, Dr David Nzekwu, was captured in the agency’s database under the Anambra Social Service Identity (ANSSID) number and is owned by about 2.1 million taxpayers.
The newly appointed Executive Chairman of AIRS, Richard Madiebo, had urged Anambra residents to check the SSID portal for their status and, thereafter, proceed with relevant actions of filing and payment.
He said that those who were yet to pay should go to the nearest commercial bank with their ANSSID number to pay their taxes and/or levies.
Anambra begins enforcement of payment of N514 billion unpaid taxes on businesses, individuals March 29, 2022.
