Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search
Breaking News:

NDDC faults Rivers’ sealing of office complex

By Maria Diamond
27 April 2019   |   4:02 am
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has called for the vacation of the ex parte order for the sealing up of its office complex on Aba Road...

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has called for the vacation of the ex parte order for the sealing up of its office complex on Aba Road, Port Harcourt obtained by the Rivers State Government over alleged tax evasion.

The Rivers State Government on Friday last week obtained the order from the state High Court ordering the sealing up of the premises for failing to pay the River State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) the sum of N50billion.

NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Charles Odili, in a statement, denied that the commission owed the revenue agency the said amount, insisting that it had paid all necessary taxes, including Withholding Tax and Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax to the state government.

The NDDC further noted that even if there were discrepancies between the figures paid and the amount expected by the RIRS, it would require proper tax audit to ascertain whatever differences there are, stressing that in this case, there was neither any such audit nor a hint that there was a problem.

It lamented that due process was not followed, as the order was obtained from a provincial division of the state’s High Court sitting in Omoku and at such, it was not given fair hearing or a chance to defend itself against any allegation before the premises were sealed.

In this article

0 Comments