Firm asks FIRS to retract name from tax defaulters list

One of the firms listed on the Federal Inland Revenue Services’ tax defaulter list has pushed back on the claims that it did pay not to tax to the Nigerian government and is demanding a retraction from the FIRS.

God is Good Motors (GIGM) said in a statement on Thursday that it has fulfilled all tax obligations to the government and said it was “unfair” to the company to be listed as a tax defaulter.

GIGM said no demand notices were served on the firm in any of its branches nationwide as required by Sections 32 (d) and 33(1) of the FIRS Establishment Act before the publication of its name among defaulters.

The “account name with Zenith Bank GOD IS GOOD MOTORS (VEHICLE SALES A/C) is not a different Company nor a subsidiary of our company stated above, rather it is the same company but with a modified account name for ease of reconciling our transactions,” said the finance director of the company Joseph Osanipin.

“We registered our Business with the Federal Inland Revenue Service as far back as 2010 with a Taxpayer Identification Number: 09568000-0001, with all documented tax liability, fully paid up as demanded by the service.

Osanipin insisted that FIRS carried out a series of tax audits of GIGM with the latest being May 2018. He said notification for the audits was sent in April 2018.

Sections 32(d) and 33(1) of the FIRS Act mandate the government agency to serve a demand notice upon the company or person in whose name a tax is chargeable.

FIRS can then enforce payment if it is not made within one month from the date of the service of such demand notice.

“The FIRS should look into her records to confirm our points,” Osanipin said.

“A counter publication should be made to expunge our Company name from the list of tax defaulters as this is negatively affecting our mutual business dealings with both our foreign and local partners.”