By Praise Chinecherem
Over 25 banks and hotels in Anambra State have been sealed by the State Internal Revenue Service, (AIRS) over nonpayment of taxes and levies.
Head of the team and desk officer in charge of Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWAMA) in the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, Mr. James-Morgan Ezeodili, said the levies were on sanitation, business premises and sundry government taxes.
Amongst the facilities sealed in Awka and its environs are Nigeria Police Force Micro Finance Bank, Mumbai Festus Hotel, Finotel Classic Hotel, and Shalom Hotel, all in Awka. Others include Zaramax Hotel, New World Lounge, Summit Splendor Hotel, Ndiolu Micro Finance Bank, and Landmark Hotel Nibo, among others.
Addressing reporters weekend after the monthly sanitation exercise, Ezeodili said the enforcement was made following court order on August 11, 2022 to seal off the business premises for their refusal or failure to appear in court, after being served with writ of summons, as they refused to pay stipulated levies to government.
He said the exercise was part of the government’s resolve to boost its revenue, and to ensure environment was clean by removal of wastes across the roads and streets in the state.
Anambra Central Zonal Coordinator, under Non-Tax Department of AIRS, Mr. Sylvester Uzoh, disclosed that the exercise would be sustained to ensure every dime owed to the government would be paid, just as he urged residents to support Governor Chukwuma Soludo administration.
While warning business owners and companies not to pay levies or taxes to anyone by hand, but through the designated government’s account with their ANSSID number, Uzoh was optimistic that the payments would guarantee dividends expected of government.
Counsel for AIRS, Barnabas Udemba insisted that violation of the court order after being served with court summons occasioned contempt of court and defaulters would be punished accordingly.
