Bayelsa Govt warns against multiple taxation/billing

The Bayelsa State Government has warned against multiple taxation and excessive billing of business premises, and advised businessmen and women to remit taxes to authorized assessment officers from the board.

The Government spoke through the State Chairman of the Board of Internal Revenue, Mr Nimibofa Ayawei, who was emphatic that cash should not paid, urged businessmen and women to pay authorized assessment officers with POS machines.

He cleared the misconception over the amount captured in the new system, explaining that it varies depending on the profit margin of the business venture, and it was for that reason that experts from the board were selected to educate entrepreneurs in the state.

Continuing, he posited that there is booklet approved by the governor in which every business is assessed and captured, even as he posited that government agencies are charge to collect fees and levies related to environmental sanitation, others are revenue board and then, transport.

Ayawei posited that Yenagoa Local Government collectors would no longer approach business offices for remittance, including others because the booklet has already captured and made room for them to be catered for after collections.

The Revenue Boss averred that in view of the economic situation, the board has set out a standard, where everybody is paying as minimal as possible.

“What are we actually billing them is not excessive, it is very minimal, compared to other states of the federation, because we know we are a civil service state and we are very careful in giving
people assessments that are arbitrary” Ayawei said.

“The new billing system came from the Total Accounting Centre (TAC) and it is the highest decision making body as related to taxes and levies in the state and it is headed by the Deputy Governor.
Accordingly, he pointed that the new system would outlaw bickering and argument over what business owners are expected to pay, stressing that the booklet is free and that tax payer can access the booklet.

Ayawei reiterated the need for businessmen and women to always go through the booklet to ascertain their levies depending on the size of their business, so that collectors with ulterior motive would not extort monies from them.

To this end, he appraised the new system as it would afford tax payers easy access to their tax clearance even as he posited taxes is a civic responsibility.