The Acting Chairman of the Service, Mr Haruna Abdullahi, announced this while answering questions from journalists in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The Acting Executive Chairman FCT IRS urged taxable Nigerians, particularly residents of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to file their annual returns for 2021 on or before the end of March 2022.
Abdullahi revealed that the deadline for the filing of annual tax return for organisations, employers, ministries, departments and agencies is 31 January 2022, while that for individuals is 31 March 2022.
“The essence is to create awareness on our operations. To let people know that FCT IRS exist. To get more people to file their annual tax returns and, to some extent, enlighten the public on their responsibilities, civic duties to the country and FCT in particular; for many to know that FCT IRS is here.
“FCT IRS has come to stay. FCT IRS is providing very important national service,” Abdullahi said.
The Acting Executive Chairman FCT IRS, who noted that the Agency had adopted January every year to sensitize tax payers towards being responsive and committed to paying their taxes.
Abdullahi further hinted that the Agency will soon begin the enforcement of the tax law on defaulters within the year.
“We expect every individual resident in Abuja and organizations to file returns on or before 31st of March.
“31st March is the deadline for filing all tax returns. Non-compliance comes with penalties.
“And the intention is that FCT IRS will enforce. We are not competing with any State, but what we are doing is specifically geared toward hitting our target… the sensitization is not only to the city, but the whole area councils,” he emphasized.
The FCT IRS tax boss also encouraged all tax payers to take advantage of the FCT-IRS Call Center to make their inquiries whenever the need arises.
Earlier, the Director of Tax Operations in the FCT IRS, Mr Malik Tukur, warned that tax evasion attracts sanctions.
The Director also explained that to build good road, provide potable water, schools, among others, it required the contributions of all taxable payers, hence the need to get them properly informed about FCT IRS operations.
“In other climes people are arrested for evading taxes.
“We want everyone to file their annual returns as and when due. If the law asked you to file your return, file it.
“Those responsible for providing social amenities will continue to provide them.
“It is a three-way thing: the taxpayers, the tax authority and the executive.
“Look at Lagos, the CMS used to be a nice place; Oshodi used to be a nice place also. But because of the taxpayers those places are now able to be repaired and made more inhabitable and even nice to stay,” Malik said.
Also, the Director, Human Resource, FCT-IRS, Mr Mohammed Jada, who also spoke on the efficiency drive of the Agency, assured that the Agency would embark on training and retraining of staff in order to build their capacity for maximum service delivery.
It would be recalled that the FCT-IRS, which is the only State IRS in Nigeria established by the National Assembly had achieved tremendous feat in its revenue drive, as well as surpassed its 2021 target amid the COVID-19 pandemic, making it the second highest Revenue Leading State in Nigeria.
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