Kwara educates residents on tax payments, penalities for non-compliance
Dele Moses, Ilorin
Kwara state government has reorientated people of the state on the payment of tax to enhance compliance and avoid penalty that non-payment attracts.
The state revenue collection agency, Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) made the reorientation at one-day sensitization programmes it organised in Ilorin.
The KW-IRS which noted that lack of information on payment of tax hinders collection of the tax said there was the need to reawaken citizens’ responsibility in tax payment compliance and enlighten stakeholders on new tax reforms in the state.
The programmes which was held at the Banquet hall of the government house, Ilorin had in attendance, representatives of private industries, small and medium business owners, professional bodies, Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organizations and individual taxpayers.
The Executive Chairman of the Agency, Shade Omoniyi, while declaring the workshop open said the programme became necessary due to the agency’s observation of a lack of adequate information and knowledge on the part of the taxpayers which has been hindering the agency’s performance.
She stated: “Taxation, as we all know, is the lifeblood of any economy. It is through the faithful payment of taxes that the government can provide critical infrastructure, quality education, healthcare, and other essential public services.
“However, tax compliance remains a significant hurdle. Addressing this challenge requires deliberate strategies, collaboration, and continuous stakeholder dialogue.
“Today’s program has been thoughtfully designed to address some of the pressing issues surrounding tax compliance and to provide practical insights for all stakeholders.”
Five papers were presented on the theme of the programme tagged “Enhancing tax compliance through stakeholders sensitization and engagement”
The papers presented include; ‘Harmonized bill and other taxes collectables by the service’ delivered by the agency Director of MDAs, Omotayo Ayinla. ‘Practical guide on filling of annual returns for corporate organizations and individuals’ delivered by HOD Tax Audit, Mohammed Rufai. ‘Payment options and processes’ by HOD Corporate Tax, Kuburat Yinusa. ‘Withholding tax regulation 2024 and proposed tax reform’ delivered by HOD tax assessment, Abdullahi Gegele.
Delivering a paper on the implication of non-compliance, Muhammed Audu, HOD Corporate Planning said failure to pay tax, underreporting income, non-filling annual returns, overstating deductions and not remitting within record time attract penalties such as N50,000 for individuals and N500,000 for Corporate organization or six months imprisonment.
Participants were given time to ask questions with corresponding answers and they were put through practical ways of filling tax on the website of the agency noting that manual tax filling is no longer allowed.
