In line with Oyo State Government Land Use due, the State tax enforcement agency has sealed off hotels, banks, petrol stations who failed to comply by paying the charged amount after several notice and discount offered by the State government.
The State Government’s action on Thursday affected no fewer than six hotels, four commercial banks, three filling stations and seven companies across the State.
Before the properties were sealed, it was said that the Government had given them a notice of 90 days to comply with the Obligation, but the owners of these companies refused to comply.
Chairman of the state Board of Internal Revenue, Mr. Aremo John Adeleke who spoke with the pressmen after the exercise urged the management of private businesses to be alive to their responsibilities to enable government provide security, infrastructure and other essentials necessary to make businesses thrive.
According to the government of Oyo State, most of these businesses owed the State Government tons of millions, and the first phase of the exercise to seal was carried out across all local governments within the Ibadan metropolis.
The chairman said the State government has given, as palliative, an additional 10% discount to complement the initial 25% discount on all taxes to ensure that the businesses stay afloat in the face of economic realities posed by the COVID 19 scourge.
Aremo Adeleke added that the Government was poised to generate all taxes from business owners without any inimical effect on their ventures to sustain economic growth in the State, adding that the enforcement would continue till the end of the year.
“The focus of the drive is not to close down or ground any business but to give a push to businesses to assist government in creating a better business premise for them to thrive.”
