The Enugu State Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday sealed ShopRite and SPAR in the state over non-remittances of purchase tax in their malls to the government, News About Nigeria reports.
According to a statement signed by the service spokesperson, Nnamdi Eneh, the malls and stores affected refused to pay their purchase taxes despite being served several warning notices.
They also revealed that other stores, like Roban Stores and Mama Onyinye Restaurant, were also sealed for committing the same offence.
In the statement, Eneh explained that the tax the government is demanding from malls, stores and other businesses includes a purchase tax on the goods that buyers pay whenever they patronise their outlets.
Eneh, who noted that before the seal, they had approached the businesses on several occasions to remit the tax to no avail, said, “It is worthy of note that after we met with the Roban store they displayed our sticker and have complied with remitting their purchase tax to the IRS. On the other hand, ShopRite has frustrated all our efforts to get them to do the needful.
“It is always one story or another; eventually, they promised us that before the end of February, they would do something but we are in March and the ESIRS have not heard from them.”
He further stated that the malls would remain closed until the debts were paid up.
Eneh also revealed that the service is committed to ensuring that businesses in the state abide by the rules and regulations guiding them.
