The Osun State government has sealed off over 50 health, educational facilities and other business premises over failure to pay their taxes, levies and adhere to state government directive regarding registration and renewal of licences.
The businesses refused to pay their taxes, register or renew their operation licences before the stipulated deadline given to them which ended early this year.
The exercise was carried out by the tax enforcement team led by the Chairman, Osun Internal Revenue Service(OIRS), Prince Adesola Adewumi.
While addressing journalists in Ilesa, the Executive Chairman, Osun State Internal Revenue Service, Prince Adesola Adewumi said the State is not happy with business premises not registering their businesses with the concerned ministries of government and not renewing old licences.
Prince Adewumi who rolled out the good policies of the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke such as good road infrastructure, provision of food security, good health delivery, standard living for the people, qualitative education among others, said all these are the benefits to be gained individually and collectively for payment of taxes and harmonized demand notice.
While addressing business owners at Ilesa West and East Local Government Areas where over 20 business premises were sealed, the Chairman made it known that no fewer than 30 businesses was also shut down and sealed at Iwo local government area making total of 50 business premises sealed due to non-compliance to government directive regarding harmonize demand notice payment, registration and renewal of business premises, substandard health and education service delivery to the people among others.
According to him, “Registration and renewal of businesses will allow all concerned ministries, departments and agencies of government to be aware of the active and inactive businesses and ways of monitoring their activities, both staff, patients and students as all lives is important to Osun State government”.
While decrying the deplorable situations he met some business premises across the state, the OIRS boss reiterated the commitment of the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke as a friendly governor who love to see all businesses thrive in the state.
The revenue boss described the harmonised demand notice as a bill that curates all levies into one for ease of doing business in order to enable business owners fulfil their obligations to the government, warning all sealed business premises not to be tampered with and strictly adhere to.
He therefore warned business owners who are still operating illegally in the state to quickly go to the tax station nearest to them or concerned MDAs of government to perform their duties by paying their taxes and harmonized demand notice, registration and renewal of licences served them to avoid their businesses being sealed off as tax enforcement exercise continue.
Oluwaseun Ayeni
Information Officer, OIRS