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E-Registration, PDP Targets One Million Members In Edo State

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

As the opposition People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) commences e-registration of members nationwide, Edo State chapter of the party has said it has a target of one million members to register.

The Chairman of the PDP e – registration committee, Mr Kabiru Adjoto, explained in Benin city that the target was based on reality on ground and not just a mere projection.

Speaking during the launching ceremony of the exercise at the party’s State Secretariat, the Chairman stated that “The party has resolved to digitalize the process of its membership by leveraging on Information and Communication Technologies(ICT) for safer and more efficient preservation of data.

“Therefore, the party’s technical team has come up with a software designed to aid data capturing either through self registration or field registration on the website.

“The party’s technical committee has taken into cognizance the low technological penetration in most areas across the country; hence the importance of the field registration, which will be coordinated by trained party agents in the 192 wards that make up Edo State.

“The party has put all machineries in place for the training of these agents who will be deployed to their various wards to drive the exercise.

“Edo State is among the few pilot states where the exercise is expected to kick-off in earnest and our performing governor, Godwin Obaseki is the National Chairman of this exercise, as such, Edo is expected to set the pace.

“Our target is to register at least one million (1,000,000) Edo people in the course of the exercise.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is keenly determined to take power back to the people come 2023 in order to offer purposeful leadership for Nigerians as against the crass inept leadership disposition of the APC led federal government.”

In his response, the Chairman of the PDP in Edo State, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, stressed the need for the e-registration exercise in the state to be the best amongst the lot as the state governor is the national chairman of the exercise.

Ondo Govt Goes Tough On Insecurity, Closes Two Hotels

By
Ayodele Oni
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Rotimi Akeredolu - Ondo Communal Clash

By Ayodele Oni

Two hotels in Ondo state came under Government hammer as they were closed down for alleged security breaches.

In recent times, there have been reported cases of cultists terrorizing residents of Akure, the state capital, while clashes between various cult groups left behind casualties.

There has also been an increase in the number of armed robbery incident, which has forced people to retire to their various homes to avoid falling victims.

The State Government had introduced various measures to check activities of the cultists, including ban on commercial motorcyclists from operating beyond 8.00 pm.

Following security report on the activities of  two relaxation joints located in Akure, the State Government decided to seal the premises.

Already, a High Court in Akure has granted request of the State security network, Amotekun, to seal up the premises of the relaxation centres till further notice.

One of the affected hotels, is located at Ilaje Street, Ijapo Estate in Akure, while the second one, a nite club is at Oyemekun area also in the State capital.

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Special Duties,  Dr Doyin Odebowale, explained that the decision became imperative as the two centers have become security risk.

According to him, the State Government would not allow hotels or night clubs to use their facilities as den of criminals, threatening that more hotels or night clubs would be shut down for operating against the law of the land and for constituting security threat to the people.

The Governor’s Aide said the State Government would not watch on and allow some elements to destroy the future of youths in the State and continue to breach the law.

Nigerians Carpet Umahi Over His Buhari’s ‘Good Heart’ Comment

By
Bayo Bernard
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By James Orji
Not a few Nigerians have descended on Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi over his comment that the country’s next president should be like the incumbent, Muhammadu Buhari.
Umahi is a staunch supporter of the president and has shown this through his several comments and actions. He, last year, defected to the APC from PDP, the party for which he was a strong member for many years, citing the need to rally round President Buhari to succeed in his quest to reshape the country.
Many however insist that the reason why he dumped the PDP is to take a shot at the presidency under the APC banner.
The nation is poised for another presidential election in 2023, and many Nigerians believe that the election would be a referendum on President Buhari and the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC performance.
The president many insist, have not delivered on its election promises, even though his supporters say otherwise.
As the president will not be seeking office again, as the Constitution will not allow that, Governor Umahi said his desire is for President Buhari’s successor to have “a good heart ” like him.
The Ebonyi helmsman stated this in Abuja after a meeting with the president, in Aso Rock, Presidential Villa.
The governor who highlighted President Buhari’s achievements in the south east in six years to include the Second Niger Bridge, the award of eastern corridor of the railway line, and others said his wish is that the next president should inherit the attributes of the incumbent.
He said Buhari’s investments in infrastructure will fast track development across the country.
The Governor seems to be alone in his positive comments for the president, as some Nigerians have taken to the their Facebook page to criticize him, insisting that he’s not being truthful about the situation of things in the country.
Reacting to the issue @David Oki Abiodun said
“Until politicians elected into various offices shun the issue of partisanship, collectively considering all the electorates in their campaign promises,  shunning their egocentric nature and speaking truth to power, Nigeria can never build a good democratic structure, Me; Umahi trying to pacify the immaterial president to avoid being probed.”
Also, @Ibrahim Sabo Yunusa said
“Good Nigerians both home and abroad are solidly behind President Muhammadu Buhari 100 percent…
Nigeria best President ever…
Ride on President Muhammadu Buhari with your massive infrastructural development to Nigerians in all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria for a better tomorrow…
Your enemies shall continue to be in severe pain…
In Shaa Allah….”
According to @Minabo Ekine
“The high percentage of Nigerians praying for a good leader not a leader like Buhari is more than you, so God must not honor your prayers.”
While @Real Sent wrote that
“David Umahi may your children have the heat of Buhari toward you in Jesus name”, @Cistus Ngene stated that
“May God treat you and your family the way buhari is treating Nigerian citizens”.
Others who.took the Ebonyi Governor to the cleaners over the issue include @Samuel.Duke who spoke sarcastically that “Yes he has done well Nigeria Economy is the best in Africa, the country is so peaceful people are enjoying & life is good. Continue lying to ur self becos of selfish interest,” and @Uchendu Ikec hukwu Kingsley who said “the greatest problem of Nigeria may not just be the leader in power but the pathetic sychophants surrounding him who doesn’t tell him the truth about the impact of wrong policies on the entire masses. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State is one of them”.
@Ayoade Olanipekun said “i think it is high time we start testing our so called politicians before they get into office because I think it is not all of them that are normal, especially this so called umahi, he is psychologically imbalanced
On his part @Henry Eluu said “Efulefu, Nigerians will never commit the blunder that brought Buhari to power again. 2023 strategy but for the heartless governor, Umahi is worst than Buhari”.

FCMB Emerges Best SME Bank In Africa

By
Bayo Bernard
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0

Nigeria’s leading lender, First City Monument Bank, FCMB, has emerged the Best SME Bank in Africa and Best SME Bank in Nigeria at the Asian Banker Middle East and Africa Regional Awards on the 27th of August 2021.

The SME friendly bank beat all other Nigerian and African banks to win the national and continental honours. The Mrs Yemisi Edun-led bank emerged as Best SME Bank in Africa for the second time at the rigorous, prestigious, and transparent country-level honour programme for consumer financial services and technology in the Middle East and Africa.

Commenting on the awards, the Managing Director of FCMB, Edun, said, “We are excited to win two awards this year, especially the Best SME Bank in Africa, for the second year. This shows that we are meeting the specific needs of customers in this segment and are on a growth trajectory.

The awards will inspire us to further expand the frontiers of our innovation and go the extra mile to provide solutions that consistently enhance customer experience.”

Thanking the Asian Banker for the awards, Mrs Edun dedicated them to the Bank’s SME customers. She added that First City Monument Bank would continue to offer exceptional services, including funding and capacity building to small businesses.

Remarkably, the Bank has taken the lead in digitisation by automating its lending process for SMEs through the FCMB Quickloans platform. Through this channel, the lender has disbursed over N100 billion in loans to entrepreneurs. It processes over 25,000 digital loans, with disbursements hitting N9 billion in a month in the third quarter of 2021.

In addition, the Bank provides market intelligence and technical assistance support to small businesses, access to intervention funds in partnership with Development Financial Institutions, as well as provision of credit facilities to mitigate the credit risk and collateral gaps experienced in lending to SMEs.

So far, the Bank has provided over N23 billion loan guarantee support to SMEs with inadequate collateral or those in the start-up stage.

Over 30 financial institutions and technology companies from 10 countries in the Middle East and Africa historically send in entries for adjudication at the annual Asian Banker Middle East and Africa Regional Awards. Apart from its panel of international assessors, the judging process is supplemented by BankQuality, a premier rating site for financial service providers and customers.

FCMB is the most diversified financial holding company with subsidiaries that are market leaders in their respective segments. The Bank has built a strong base in various sectors of the nation’s economy by consistently offering cutting-edge solutions to its customers across segments.

Having transformed successfully into a retail banking and wealth management-led group, FCMB is poised to deliver exceptional services to its numerous customers at all times.

State Govts Slam Commercial Banks Over Tax Evation

By
Bayo Bernard
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0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

State governments in the country are clamping down on commercial bank in the country over their refusal to pay tax. Deposit banks, sources say, are owing state government several billions of naira which they have refused to pay up.

Last month, Kaduna state sealed some commercial banks after they cumulatively owe the state over N300 million. The state said then that it had to take the decision in order to force the recalcitrant banks to meet their tax obligations.

In spite of this, according to checks by the magazine the banks are yet to clear the tax arrears, and are still discussing with the state on how to get a soft landing, even as other states have started taking similar measure against the banks.

The latest is Niger state which have also wielded the big stick on eight banks for failure to perform their tax obligations.

The state listed Polaris Bank Limited, Stambic IBTC and six others as perpetual tax defaulters who have refused to pay what they owe despite several pleadings for them to do so. The state has therefore shut down the commercial banks branches in the state until they pay up a cumulative N446 million.

Other banks who have entered the black book of the state are  UBA, N68.9 million; Union Bank, N47.1 million; First Bank, N45.7 million; Heritage Bank, N31.5 million; Unity Bank and GTB were charged for owing N14 million and N8.2 million respectively. Also, Stanbic IBTC Bank, is owing the state N113.2 million AND Polaris Bank, N74.8 million, tax arrears.

Speaking on the issue, the chairman of the state revenue Board, Mohammed Madami Etsu, said the state government had no other option.  According to her “the exercise was carried out in line with the provisions of the relevant tax laws.”

Recall that the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service, KSIRS sealed the head offices and other branches of four banks in Kaduna in August over N300.5 million unpaid taxes.

KADIRS Executive Chairman, Zaid Abubakar, listed the debtor banks as First Bank, Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Sterling Bank.

Abubakar told journalists after the exercise in Kaduna that the money was arrears of taxes payable on masts, towers, and Very Small Aperture Terminals from 1999 to 2020.

He said that the tax liability of First Bank was N132.6 million; Access Bank N84.1 million; GTB N23.5 million and Sterling Bank of N60.3 million.

He explained that the state government took the action based on the power vested on KADIRS by Section 104 of the Personal Income Tax Act.

“We have sent demand notices several times as required by law, but the banks refused to come forward to pay taxes due to the state. For example, we have sent six notices to First Bank, four each to GTB, Access Bank and Sterling Bank.

“KADIRS is left with no choice than to seal up the banks’ branches. There is, however, a positive response from the affected banks. They have made part payment and signed commitments to settle the outstanding,’’ Abubakar said.

Meanwhile, close sources in some commercial banks informed the magazine that the banks are facing hard times and are just recovering from the COVID 19 headwind. The problems, some banks complained, is also worsened due to multiple taxations from all levels of governments.

“We pay tax to Federal Government, State Governments apart from other informal peoples who collect taxes from us. I think these taxes needed to be streamlined so as not to be too burdensome to the business owners,” an Executive Director in one of the tier one banks, told the magazine even though he pleaded anonymity because he dosent what his bank to be ‘profiled’ by the authorities.

 

 

 

We Are Incharge of Rivers State; Won’t Take Nonsense From You

By
The Source
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0

By Nyesom Wike

Full text of a State Broadcast By Governor, Nyesom Wike, to the people of Rivers State after a Federal High Court refused to stop the State from collecting VAT, in a suit instituted against it by the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, on Monday September 6, 2021

As we all know, following the recent judgement of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, which upheld the constitutional right and authority of State Governments to impose, collect and utilize value added taxes (VAT) within their respective territorial jurisdictions, the Rivers State Government enacted the Rivers State Value Added Tax Law 2021 to regulate the effective administration of VAT in Rivers State.

  1. As expected, the Federal Government, through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), disagreed and filed an appeal coupled with a request for stay-of-execution of the judgment before the Federal High Court.
  2. While the appeal was pending and without any stay-of-execution of the subsisting judgement, the FIRS went about to bully corporate bodies and business entities from paying the VAT to the Rivers State Government even when they knew that an appeal does not serve as a stay neither was there anything to stay in a declaratory judgement.
  3. As a mere agency of the Federal Government without any political authority the effrontery and impunity exhibited by the FIRS against the Rivers State Government was ill-advised and highly provocative.
  4. However, being a government that believes in the rule of law we decided on our own to suspend the enforcement of the Rivers State VAT Law 2021 pending the outcome of the FIRS’s application for stay-of-execution.

 

  1. Today, the FIRS has failed in its attempt to frustrate the enforcement of the State’s Law on VAT with the Federal High Court’s dismissal of its application for stay-of-execution of the judgement.
  2. It is important to reiterate the fact that we did no wrong in exercising our legal right under our constitutional democracy to stop the continuing breach, denial and curtailment of the constitutional right of States to lawfully impose and collect value added and other related taxes within jurisdiction to the exclusion of the Federal Government.
  3. And in doing so, our singular and progressive objective was to contribute to the advancement of fiscal federalism by enabling the federating States to explore and exploit their potential and capacity for generating greater internal revenues with which to fund their development goals and reduce the outdated over-reliance on pitiable Federal allocation and other handouts.
  4. Naturally, some States with presently low economic activities and ethically restrictive social policies with economic implications may be adversely affected for now.
  5. But, this is not our own making. Like the right to derivation, this is also a constitutional prescription, which we all swore as political leaders to respect and defend as the supreme law of the land.
  6. Above all, fiscal federalism remains the right path to economic self-reliance and sustainability for all our States and the benefits derivable from this case by all the States in the long run far outweigh the immediate revenue loss that some States may presently suffer.
  7. All that is required is for all of us to wear our thinking caps as elected Governors to collectively fight for the greater devolution of resources, responsibilities and powers to the federating States.
  8. It is therefore very unfortunate that some State Governors led by that of Katsina State are vainly conspiring to truncate this progressive reality in favour of the inequitable status quo so that the Federal Government can continue to rob Peter to pay Paul as the nation’s self-imposed tax master-general.
  9. For us in Rivers State, we will continue to ensure and project our constitutional rights to access all possible resources we can take hold both within and outside our geographical boundaries to advance the progress of our State.
  10. And with today’s judgement the way is now clear for the administration and enforcement of the Rivers State Value Added Tax Law 2021 across the entire State until otherwise decided and set aside by the Superior Courts.
  11. Consequently, I hereby direct the Rivers State Revenue Service (RSRS) to ensure the full and total implementation and enforcement of this law against all corporate bodies, business entities and individuals with immediate effect.
  12. All corporate bodies, business entities and individuals are advised to willingly, truthfully and promptly comply with their tax obligations under this law to avoid the full weight of the stipulated sanctions, including having their business premises sealed-up.
  13. Let me warn that the Rivers State Government is fully in charge of the State and will not tolerate any further attempt by the FIRS to sabotage or undermine our authority to freely administer our tax and other related laws in our own State. Those who play with fire risks having their fingers burnt. Enough of the shenanigans.
  14. I wish to further assure every resident that we shall as usual make effective use of the expected proceeds from this tax to accelerate the development of our State and improve the wellbeing of everyone.
  15. Fellow citizens, let me also draw your attention to the alarming rate of transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic in our State.
  16. The daily figures released form the NCDC show that both the transmission and death rates in the last two weeks have consistently been on a rising spiral because residents and visitors to the State have largely abandoned their responsibility to comply with the existing COVID-19 Protocols.
  17. Clearly, we are headed for a serious health disaster of profound consequences if residents and visitors continue to behave as if the pandemic no longer exists or impotent in Rivers State.
  18. This is a big lie and we cannot afford to continue to close our eyes to the dangers such irresponsible behaviour poses to the health, lives and livelihood of everyone.
  19. Accordingly, I wish to remind residents of the subsisting protocols on regular washing of hands and use of alcohol-based sanitizer; maintaining social distancing; wearing of face masks at all public places, including transport vehicles and going for immediate testing and treatment whenever you notice any of the symptoms.
  20. Furthermore, it has been proven that vaccinations are saving lives here and across the world and those refusing to take the vaccines for no certified medical reasons should know that they are endangering the rest of the citizens.
  21. I, therefore, appeal to all residents to help protect yourself, your loved ones and the rest of the citizens by getting your jab at the designated health centres in the 23 Local Government Areas of the State as they become available.
  22. I also appeal to religious leaders and Churches to convince and encourage their followers and members to please go out and take the vaccines and comply with the covid-19 protocols in addition.
  23. Although it remains our desire to keep the State open and allow citizens to go about their social, religious and economic activities unimpeded.
  24. But we may be constrained to re-imposed the suspended COVID-19 lockdown measures across the State if the transmission of the disease continues to increase beyond tolerable limits.
  25. Finally, we wish to reiterate that the ongoing demolition of shanties was borne out of the compelling need to safeguard lives and property across the State.
  26. Our objective, which is gradually achieving is to deny the criminals these sanctuaries and hideouts from which they embark on their criminal activities and safely return to.
  27. We, therefore, refuse to be blackmailed by those unpatriotic elements who are trying to stir false ethnic, religious or tribal sentiments around our patriotic commitment to advance the safety and security of residents.
  28. Furthermore, we refuse to be intimidated by such baseless pranks. Rather, we will not rest until we clear the State of all shanties wherever they are located and restore sanity to our environment and achieve a better sense of comfort and security for everyone.
  29. Once again, thank you all for your support, prayer and understanding as we continue to work together to advance our collective security, peace and progress.

President Buhari Appoints Adetifa New NCDC DG

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Ifedayo Morayo Adetifa

By Akinwale Kasali

Dr. Ifedayo Morayo Adetifa had been appointed  the new Director General of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The appointment of Adetifa as the DG of the NCDC came few days after Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, the incumbent DG, was snapped from Nigeria by the World Heealth Organisation, WHO, for an International appointment.

Garba Shehu, President Buhari’s Special Assistant on Media & Publicity, confirmed the appointment of Adetifa in a statement.

Before the appointment of Adetifa, Ihekweazu had been NCDC DG since 2016 when Buhari appointed him, but his appointment by the WHO last week, as Assistant Director-General, changed the narrative, with Adefila filling the vacuum.

In an official letter addressed to Ihekweazu, WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said the Nigerian is the Feputy in charge of Health Emergency Intelligence at the Global Health Organisation

He is to assume the office on November 1, 2021, and will be in charge of WHO’s Pandemic and Epidemic Response hub in Berlin, Germany.

Gumi To FG: Treat Bandits Like Niger Delta Militants Or Insecurity Persists; Says You Can’t Defeat Them

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0

By Akinwale Kasali

Self appointed Bandits-negotiator with the Federal and State Governments, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi has told the President Muhammadu Buhari Government to grant amnesty to Bandits, just the way Niger Delta Militants were granted amnesty during the administration of late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

The Kaduna-based Islamic Cleric reiterated the need for the Federal Government to give amnesty to Bandits, saying that bandits will never cease to exist in Nigeria unless granted amnesty like the Niger Delta militants.

Gumi stated this in a Facebook epistle titled: ‘Zamfara: The Flaring Of Crisis,’ warning that any military action aimed at the armed herders would worsen the insecurity situation rather than solve it.

Calling to mind the situation with the Taliban in Afghanistan, Gumi insisted that no military, particularly of a poor economy like Nigeria, can win a guerrilla warfare.

“By 2015, banditry has replaced cattle rearing that is becoming nearly impossible. Drugs were introduced into the herdsmen that are known to be illiterates or semi-illiterates.

“Just as we had the Niger Delta conflict resolved with an amnesty which comes with reconciliation, reparation, and rehabilitation packages, so will the herdsmen crisis be resolved. In fact, there is a need for a Marshal plan to educate the nomadic pastoralist so that no citizen is left behind.

“No military, especially of a poor economy, can win guerrilla warfare. The recent victory of the Taliban in Afghanistan is a factual warning for those that contemplate.”

Gumi who has been called out for his affinity with bandits, recently called on the Nigerian Government to grant bandits blanket Amnesty.

Anti-Open Grazing, VAT Bills Scale Second Reading At Lagos Assembly

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Lagos State House of Assembly

By Akinwale Kasali

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday committed the Bill on Open Grazing to the Committee on Agriculture after it scaled second reading.

The House also read for the first and second time the State’s Value Added Tax bill, and asked the Committee on Finance which is handling it to report back on Thursday.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, described the ‘Prohibition of Open Cattle Grazing Bill’ as timely and one that would ensure harmonious relationships between Herders and Farmers and protect the environment of the State and the Southwest Zone.

The Speaker also suggested that the Bill should make provision for the registration of Herders and prepare them for ranching.

“Allocating percel of land is not enough, but there should be training of those who would go into ranching,” he said, noting that ranching is expensive and required adequate preparation.

Concerning the Bill on VAT, Speaker Obasa said it would lead to “increase in revenue and increase in infrastructural development. This is in line with fiscal Federalism that we have been talking about.”

Obasa said the VAT law when passed, would help the State meet challenges in its various sectors. He also urged the Lagos State Government to do everything legally possible to ensure the judgement of a Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, is sustained even up to the Supreme Court.

He lamented a situation where about 500 billion is generated from Lagos State while 300 billion is generated from other southwest states and paltry amounts are disbursed to them in return.

“It is an opportunity for us to emphasise again on the need for the consideration of true federalism,” he said.

Speaking earlier on the Bill on open grazing, Hon. Bisi Yusuff (Alimosho 1), lamented the havoc that Herdsmen had caused in the south’west zone.

According to him, farmers have continuously become afraid to visit their farms, thus causing shortage of food. He also said many farmers had become indebted as they now find it difficult to pay back loans they secured.

He said it was lamentable that cattle roam the streets causing accidents and embarrassing people.

He advocated for stiffer penalties for herders caught carrying firearms.

His position was supported by Hon. Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho 2) who said open grazing in the 21st century is an aberration.

Joseph said the Bill would ensure peaceful coexistence, reduce crime and help to guide the activities of herders.

On his part, Hon. Olumoh Saad Lukeman (Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1), suggested that the high court should be made to handle cases from the enforcement of the bill when passed or that the State should establish special courts for such purpose.

Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu, in his contribution, described Lagos as a cosmopolitan State and, as such, having to see cattle in the streets is worrisome.

He expressed support for the bill because, according to him, it would give a level of security to the state and help reduce economic losses. He added that Lagos has 250 hectares of land in Ikorodu and another 750 hectares on Epe for ranching.

Hon. Tobun Abiodun (Epe 1) said it was common to see cattle going to school as if they want to learn while Hon. David Setonji (Badagry 2), recalled “a time we went on oversight function in a school here in Lagos. We were embarrassed by cattle. We had to wait for the Herder to move the cattle before we embarked on our oversight function.”

Setonji suggested a collaboration between men of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps and the police in the implementation of the law when passed and assented to.

Court Throws Out FIRS Stay of Execution Order on State VAT Collection

By
Uche Mbah
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0
Nyesom Wike

By Uche Mbah

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state is dancing in the sun. A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has thrown out a suit by the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, which sought to stop the Rivers State Government from collecting and utilizing Value-Added Tax, VAT.

The taxman had approached the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt Court seeking a stay of execution on an earlier judgment which gave the power of VAT revenue collection to State governments, effectively taking it  away from the FIRS.

But the Presiding Judge, Stephen Pam, ruled Monday that granting the prayer will negate the Principle of Equity.

According to him, the Rivers State Government and the State Assembly enacted Rivers State Value Added Tax No. 4, 2021, thereby legitimizing state collection of VAT. Such a law must remain valid until it is set aside by a Court of competent jurisdiction.

He dismissed the plea, equating it to murder.

The Counsel for Rivers State Government, Mark Agu,  was full of commendation for the court. He said:

“The first Defendant, FIRS, sent their appeal against the judgment of the Honourable Court delivered wherein the Court allowed the Rivers State Government to collect their VAT”.

“Subsequently, after the judgment, Rivers State has its law on that, the Rivers State Law on VAT No. 4, 2021. Having appealed, they were asking for an injunction, and secondly asking for a stay on the judgment.

“Today, the Court has delivered its ruling dismissing the said application for stay, though, without cost.

“The Court reasons that if it should grant stay it is more or less like overruling itself and the court is empowered to recognize all laws enacted by the National Assembly or the State House of Assembly, therefore, the law stands as substantive.

“Therefore, the issues of collection of VAT as it stands today, Rivers State is still entitled to still collect.”

But, counsel for FIRS, Reuben Wanogho, reportedly expressed angst with the stand of the Court.

According to him, FIRS would appeal the ruling.

“The court has delivered its ruling based on how it saw the facts of the case. We do not agree with the ruling and we will take all necessary steps to challenge it. That is why the appellate System is there.

“The Appellate System is there to enable us to ventilate out grievances if for any reasons the Court makes a pronouncement we we do not agree with it.

“For sure, we feel that the ruling should have gone in our favor but, the Court has taken a position against us, so we will do the needful by taking it up immediately before the Court of Appeal.

“We will challenge it. And we are hopeful that at the Court of Appeal we should be able to find our way. The Appeal system is there to correct errors.

“The natural consequences of the ruling is that the Rivers State Government will be collecting the VAT, but we will take steps to ensure that we amelioration situation as quickly as possible.”

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