The Executive Chairman, Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), Otunba (Hon.) Oladele Bankole-Balogun Esq., ACTI on Wednesday, based on the prevailing extant tax laws led executive directors-Hon. Idiake Akhimien Patrick, Executive Director Income Taxes, Hon. Engr Jackson Eribo, Executive Director, MDA Services and other top EIRS management staff on a familiarization visit to expatriate manufacturing companies based at Utesi community in Edo South senatorial district to update them of their tax obligations and social responsibilities to the state and their immediate environment.
Interfacing with the Chinese nationals on site at visited manufacturing companies based on the vital roles they play affecting the local economy based on industrial activities at, “Time Ceramics Nigeria Limited; Rongtai Aluminium Industry Limited, and Rongsheng Glass Nigeria Limited,” Balogun appreciated the personnel for the warm reception accorded his entourage just as he declared that the visit was meant to deepen relationship between the tax body and the manufacturing companies for the seamless documentation, audit and collection of tax.
Even as he called on these employers of labour to file their employees
annual Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and individual tax returns as well as give accurate staff strength, being major employers of labour, Balogun stated that the EIRS had the onerous responsibility of making sure that the state’s revenue are in order.
Addressing the press shortly after the familiarisation visit and inspection of products at the “Time Ceramics Nigeria Limited” showroom, the EIRS Executive Chairman, Otunba (Hon.) Oladele Bankole-Balogun, stated that the “Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), is charged with the responsibility of making sure that the state’s revenue is in order.”
Balogun stated that the purpose for the familiarisation visit to designated companies was to “Come visit them and support them for the good works they do, in terms of employment in Edo State and production.”
He said the visit is also to let these companies know that the EIRS is “Watching them very closely, and, want to work closely with them to ensure that what is due to Edo State is not short changed.”
Otunba Bankole-Balogun noted that the EIRS team is going to abide by the books, monitoring the activities of these companies with emphasis on local and expatriate PAYE and staff audit, monthly returns and accuracy of such returns. Nonetheless, while straightening an encountered grey area, the EIRS boss called on management staff of these designated companies to give unfettered access to EIRS tax officers whenever they come to their companies to carry out their duties.
In their individual responses, personnel of these companies unanimously voiced their intent to comply with laid down extant tax rules and regulations.
Sunqun Huang and Wei Zhang, top management personnel at the Time Ceramics Nigeria Limited promised to comply with the new tax laws and work closely with the EIRS to achieve designated milestones; Alex Wang at the Rongtai Aluminium Industry and even the trio – Patrick, Rachel and Alex at the Rongsheng Glass Nigeria Limited said they will abide with the new tax laws.
