FIRS to deduct states, L.G’s unpaid VAT, WHT from FAAC account

BY EMEKA EJERE

The financial challenges being face by states and local governments may soon get worse as  the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has said it would begin deducting unremitted Valued Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax (WHT) by by them from the FAAC allocations shared monthly.

In a statement Wednesday, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Muhammad Nami, said the punitive measure was resorted to after all entreaties by the service to get the money paid was unsuccessful.

He said, “By the provisions of the relevant laws, states and local governments are statutorily mandated, as agents of collection, to deduct at source and remit to the Service, all taxes deducted, within twenty-one days.

“However, it is regrettable to note that most of the states and local governments have failed in their responsibilities of remitting WHT and VAT deducted from payments made to contractors and service providers as required by law,” Nami explained.

While stating that the action has led to huge tax debts owed by the states and local governments, Nami said it has advised the federal government and the minister of finance, to also decline approval of any request for issuance of state bonds/other securities in the capital market, request for external borrowing; and approval for domestic loans from commercial banks/other financial institutions.

“We will also publicly name and shame defaulting states and local governments with the amount of unremitted tax deductions; to ensure the remittance of the established unremitted tax deductions by the defaulting states and local governments,” he noted.