Ogun revenue
boss disagrees with FG on VAT
The Federal
Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Lagos has
intercepted 37 vehicles worth N1.4 billion.
Comptroller-General
of the service, Hameed Ali, made this known yesterday while inspecting the
vehicles even as he declared war against smugglers that obstruct its officers
through violence.
“For those
who use violence as instrument of intimidation, let it be known that going
forward, NSC operatives will not hesitate to use force to deal with any threat
that is intended to obstruct performance of our statutory function,” he said
The Roving
team of FOU, Zone ‘A’ had between August 2 and 4, 2017 intercepted 37 assorted
vehicles smuggled into the country through Cotonou, Benin Republic.
The seized
vehicles include: Eight 2017 model Lexus jeeps LX570; 12 Land Cruiser jeeps and
17 Toyota Hilux with duty paid value (DPV) of N1.37 billion.
The Customs
also seized 12,081 bags of parboiled rice with DPV of N149 million, and another
156 seizures including bales of used clothes, Indian hemp and used tyres, among
others.
The FOU said
no fewer than 17 suspects were currently in custody over the smuggling of
vehicles and general goods and were being investigated.
“In the face
of security and economic challenges, no responsible government will fold its
hand while unpatriotic elements continue to engage in illegal activities that
will further compromise national economic and security well-being of her
people,” Ali said.
Guardian reported that He,
therefore, assured that the NCS would continue to work towards ensuring
compliance with all extant laws governing imports and exports in Nigeria.
Meanwhile,
Chairman of the Ogun State Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS), Adekunle Adeosun
has sharply disagreed with a statement credited to the Federal Government that
Lagos State contributes 55 per cent of yearly Value Added Tax (VAT).
It said the
remaining 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja put together
contribute 45 per cent.
“The bone of
contention here is that the Federal Government claims that total VAT that comes
from Lagos state annually is 55 per cent and 35 states and Abuja account for 45
per cent.
“But Ogun
State disagrees because almost all the companies that remit VAT and Withholding
Tax (WHT) produce in Ogun and remit taxes of goods produced and services
rendered from Lagos State,” Adeosun said.
The Minister
of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had last week, at a meeting with members of the
Progressive Governors’ Forum in Birnin Kebbi, said that 55 per cent of the
total Value Added Tax receipts come from Lagos while the remaining 45 per cent
comes from 35 states and Abuja.
But the Ogun
revenue chief doubted the figures, arguing that in as much as it is nationally
recognised that most manufacturing industries are domiciled in Ogun State, it
was not possible that Lagos would earn 55 per cent of the total VAT ahead of
Ogun.
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