The Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, has cautioned banks against non-remittance of tax revenue collected on behalf of the Federal Government.
The acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Kabir Mashi, who gave the charge during a taxpayers sensitisation workshop, also urged companies with December 31 as their accounting year-end to file their returns before the end of next month.
A statement released by the service on Wednesday in Abuja said while the FIRS boss commended the banks for their roles in tax collection, he however appealed to them to promptly transfer the funds into the appropriate accounts.
Mashi who was represented by the Director, Medium Tax Department, Peter Olayemi said FIRS frequently collaborates with its stakeholders because of their importance in tax administration.
He said, “Permit me to use this opportunity to further appeal to our bankers to cultivate the habit of promptly remitting the taxes collected on behalf of the Service.
“This clarion call for prompt remittance is germane to achieving the aims and objectives of tax collection in particular and realisation of the transformation agenda of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in general.”
Mashi tasked tax professionals on the need to put the interest of the nation first before their personal objectives noting that this will help to develop the economy.
“You are at the middle of the affairs, that is between FIRS and the taxpayers. Your timely advice in reminding your clients (taxpayers) of their obligations and letting them know the implications of non-compliance is key to the development of our tax system.
“We sincerely believe that as partners in progress, we can collectively work together to galvanise the economy by optimising the non-oil tax revenue through mutual understanding and collaboration”, Mashi said.
The Coordinating Director, Field Operations Group, Bamidele Ajayi said the service decided to organize the workshop in order to educate tax payers on the vision of the service.
He said, “The Service decided to organise this sensitisation workshop in order to educate and inform you, our critical stakeholders, so that we can work together to realise the vision of the Service which is to deliver quality service to taxpayers in partnership with other stakeholders and make taxation the pivot of national development”.
Bamidele said the workshop would not have come at a more appropriate time that now when the majority of the non-oil taxpayers with their accounting year ended 31st of December, 2013 have up to 30th of June this year to file their income tax returns.
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