The Senate has queried the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) over alleged unremitted N1.4 billion withholding tax and Value Added Tax deducted from the Ministries. Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The Senate Committee on Public Account chaired by Senator Mathew Urhoghide has already issued a query to the FIRS for explanation.
The query reads, “N700.2 million Withholding Tax (WHT) which were deducted from 33 government MDAs were not remitted to FIRS.
“This negates the provision of Financial Regulation 234 (III) which stipulates that officers who fail to provide for remit VAT and WHT due on vat-able supplies and services shall be sanctioned under the applicable VAT Act No. 102 of 1993 which may include fined and/or imprisonment.
“The Executive Chairman has been requested that the unremitted WHT of N700.2 million be deducted at source from budgetary allocations of the affected MDAs in line with section 24 of FIRS Act of 2007, empowering the Accountant General of the Federation to make such deduction to the service. ”
But, FIRS in a written response denied receiving any money to that respect.
It said, “The total amount of N700.2 million Withholding Tax was deducted by 33 government MDAs but had not been remitted to the FIRS.
“Efforts are still made by the service and the Debt Management Office (DMO) to advise the Accountant General of the Federation to deduct at the source from budgetary allocations of the affected MDAs in line with the provisions of section 24 of FIRS Act of 2007.”
In another query, the senate committee said, “N708.5 million of Value Added Tax were deducted from 31 government MDA’s but were not remitted to FIRS.”
The FIRS in its written response said, ” Efforts are still made by Service and Debt Management Office (DMO) to deduct at source from budgetary allocations of the affected MDAs in line with the provisions of section 24 of FIRS Act of 2007.”
