By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Hon. Gabriel Olofu on Tuesday in Lokoja directed all business owners across the State to register their business premises within the next one month or be sanctioned.
Disclosing this at a joint press conference with the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) in Lokoja on Tuesday, said failure to register the premises in accordance with the directives of the State government would draw sanctions on defaulters.
“We are appealing 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 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.”
The Commissioner stressed the need for all payments to be made directly through the Bank in accordance with the cashless policy of the State Government, adding that with the grace of one month, 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.”
