By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Capital Territory Internally Revenue Services (FCT-IRS) has begun moves to meet up its two hundred billion naira target for year 2022.
Leading the revenue campaign on Tuesday, Acting Chairman FCT-IRS, Haruna Abdullahi led road walk on the major streets of Abuja to inculcate tax paying culture on both individuals and organisations.
He said the awareness creation was one of the strategies the Service had adopted to hit its over N200 billion tax target.
Abdullahi explained that the Service has adopted several measures to change peoples negative attitudes towards tax paying.
While he noted that the sensitization campaign for improving tax will be intensified, he also disclosed that the service may resort to extant laws to prosecute defaulters.
According to him, it is an offence for organisations and companies to fail in filing their tax returns as and when due.
He further explained that the campaign will not be limited to the city centre, but it will be taken to all Area Councils, to ensure that all residents were properly carried along.
Abdullahi said, “the road show was to create an impression that FCT-IRS exists and also tell the public our roles and services we provide, and to also enlighten the public on their responsibilities to the country and FCT in particular.
“We have realised that in the past years a lot of people have asked is there FCT-IRS. So it is our intention to now every January will be our tax enlightenment drive.
“We want to let residents in Abuja to know that they have the responsibilities to pay their taxes and also file their tax returns. They should know that March 31st is deadline for filing tax returns, and there is penalty for defaulting.
“One way of achieving our tax target of over N200 billion is by the awareness we are creating today, so that more people will file their taxes and that will affect our bottom line.
“We are also taking our campaign to all the Area Councils and not just the city center. The FCT-IRS is guided by personal income tax and the FCT tax Act”, he added.
