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.
Disclosing this at a joint press conference with the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) in Lokoja, the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Hon. Gabriel Olofu said failure to register the premises in accordance with the directive 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 appealed to the General Public to comply with the provisions of the law concerning registering of business with ministry of Commerce and Industry as required by law.
“This is to avoid sanction or punishment as the case may be. We urged business operator have 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.”
The Commissioner 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 a grace period of one month (September 14 – 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 tax payers meet up their payments.
“The list of businesses according to the provisions of the law covers 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.”
