The Kogi State Government has directed all business owners across the State to register their business premises within the next one month or incur its sanction.
Gabriel Olofu , the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, disclosed this at a joint press conference with Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) in Lokoja, adding that failure to register the premises in accordance with the directives of the State government would draw sanctions on defaulters.
He appealed to those concerned to comply with the provisions as espoused in the law guiding the registration.
“We appeal to the General Public to comply with the provisions of the law concerning registering of business with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as required by law”.
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“This is to avoid sanction or punishment as the case may be. We urged business operators to pay their taxes directly into KGIRS specified account and obtain receipt or teller; thereafter proceed to ministry of Commerce and Industry to obtain their Business Premises certificate.”
Olofu equally emphasised the need for all payments to be made directly through the Bank in accordance with the cashless policy of the State Government, adding that business operators would have a grace period of one month (starting from September 14 through October 13) after which the enforcement would commence.
“At the expiration of one month, the state tax force on revenue drive would tour round all business establishments in the state to enforce the law”.
He disclosed that the ministry of Commerce and KGIRS have Area tax officers at the various LGAs and other Strategic positions to assist taxpayers meet up their payments.
“The list of businesses according to the provisions of the law covers a wide range of enterprises of about 100 different businesses including the new areas of tax drive such as POS, Miners, contractors handling jobs for Kogi State Government and others,” he said.
