The Benue State Government through the Benue Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) has unsealed Dangote Cement Company (DCC), Gboko, after the company paid the sum of N69 million, being part payment of the PAYE/withholding tax owed the state government.
This was made known by the Executive Chairman of BIRS, Mrs Mimi Adzape-Orubibi, on Wednesday in Makurdi, where she said that the N69 million the company paid was part of the N218 million PAYE/withholding tax it owed the Board.
Adzape-Orubibi said that the N69 million represents one-third of the total amount owed by the cement company.
What the Executive Chairman of BIRS is saying
Adzape-Orubibi said the law allows corporate organisations to pay an initial one-third of the total amount owed and pay the balance by instalments, which Dangote Cement Company complied with.
She said, “We have human face and the law does that for us too, you can pay one-third of what you are owing so Dangote paid one-third of N218 million, which is about N69million the next day.
“The company also made a commitment to paying the balance in instalments. But Jos Disco is yet to do that; so if you go around Makurdi, Otukpo and Gboko, all their administrative offices are under seal.’’
What you should know
- Recall that about a week ago, officials of BIRS sealed the Gboko plant of Dangote Cement Company for their inability to comply with their tax obligation amounting to over N200 million.
- While sealing the company, the BIRS Executive Chairman said the Board sent demand notices to the companies and followed it up with reminders as contained in sections 57 and 58 of Personal Income Tax Act (PITA), 2011 as amended.
- She explained that the sealing of the companies became necessary after exhausting all forms of diplomacy and giving the affected companies ample time to comply.
- She said the Board obtained court orders on April 13 but delayed its execution because of the essential services rendered by the company and its effect on the economy of the state.
