LIRS HOLDS STAKEHOLDERS MEETING WITH TRADESMEN AND ARTISANS IN LAGOS STATE

As part of its drive to ensure tax compliance in the Centre of 
Excellence, especially from the informal sector, the Lagos State 
Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) held a stakeholders’ meeting with 
tradesmen and artisans in the State on Thursday July 28, 2016.


The tradesmen, represented by their umbrella body, the Lagos State 
Council of Tradesmen and Artisans (LASCOTA) met with officials of the 
tax agency at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium located inside the Lagos State 
Government Secretariat, in Alausa, Ikeja.

The event which witnessed a huge turn-out of representatives of 
different taxpayer groups within the sector and Lagos State government 
officials was chaired by the Executive Chairman LIRS, Mr. Olufolarin 
Ogunsanwo.
The LIRS boss bemoaned the attitude of some residents to payment of 
taxes, disclosing that of the nine million projected taxable persons 
resident in the State, only a little above five million of them are tax 
compliant, hence the urgent need for the tax agency to ensure all 
stakeholders including the informal sector contribute their respective 
quota to the revenue pool.

Ogunsanwo urged tradesmen and artisans operating in the State to pay an 
annual tax of N5, 000 each (under the presumptive tax regime), 
enlightening those present on the renewed and continuous efforts 
embarked upon to build ease and convenience into the payment of these 
taxes.
He said, “In its continuous drive to increase the State’s Internally 
Generated Revenue (IGR) and make tax assessment and payment voluntary, 
convenient, and unambiguous for tax payers, LIRS has opened up new 
payment platforms, compressed the tax forms and printed them in Yoruba 
and Pidgin,  acquired a hotline that taxpayers can call for enquiries in 
any of the 3 major languages, replaced  MTCC with ETCC for the informal 
sector and  reviewed the cost and process of replacement of the said 
card amongst other things.

The sensitization campaign also hinged on the various steps taken by the 
Lagos State Government to continually create an enabling environment for 
businesses to thrive. According to Ogunsanwo, with the shortfall in 
allocation from the federation accounts, one of the ways of shoring up 
revenue for a cosmopolitan  state like Lagos is to create the enabling 
and business- friendly environment for the Informal Sector and 
thereafter ensure that all taxes due are collected in an effective and 
efficient manner.  He reiterated that His Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi 
Ambode of Lagos State, has been able to carry out all his campaign 
promises to Lagosians through execution of projects which have been made 
possible by the taxes that are being paid by individuals and groups.”

Explaining why taxpayers in Lagos State must file a return of their 
earnings, the Lagos Chief Tax Man, also quoted copiously from Section 24 
of the Personal Income Tax Act urging residents to pay their taxes as 
and when due.
He said, “The Personal Income Tax Act which is a federal law is what we 
implement for the collection of taxes. This Act also states in Section 
41 that you must file your returns within the first 90 days of the 
commencement of any year. Anyone that does not do so will be running 
afoul of the law and may be prosecuted and even jailed on conviction. 
This explains why LIRS has launched various campaigns, using all 
platforms to sensitize artisans, traders and market men/women, making 
them understand that paying taxes is not only their civic 
responsibility, but it is also the law.
Ogunsanwo harped on the need for tradesmen and artisans in Lagos state 
to pay the stipulated N5, 000 annual tax, citing the punitive measures 
that are in place for tax defaulters.

“There is a new plan for massive enumeration of people in this sector 
and when this is fully implemented, certainly there will be no hiding 
place for those that will still choose to disobey the law. The plan will 
ensure that every artisan, in one way or another will have a contact 
with the government, and in so doing, evidence of tax payments will be 
requested.  Just as we have always requested tax clearance certificate 
from anyone caught for a traffic offence in Lagos State. This is to say, 
after the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has obtained 
a fine from any offender, there will still be a request for evidence of 
tax payment before his or her car is released. With that a lot more 
people were brought into the tax net”

  To make this step an achievable feat, the tax agency disclosed the need 
to work with consultants which the governor has approved and the need to 
also bring on board, representatives of the Informal Sector who make a 
large percentage of the population in Lagos.

Responding on behalf of the artisans, President of LASCOTA, Alhaji 
Nurudeen Buhari commended the tax agency and its officials for their 
concerted efforts in interacting with members of the association. He 
solicited the government’s support in encouraging tradesmen and artisans 
to join the relevant associations for proper monitoring and 
accountability and assured the government of LASCOTA’s commitment in 
helping the present administration meet its set goals.

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) is an agency of the 
Lagos State Government which is saddled with the responsibility of 
collecting taxes and has recorded an unrivaled success over the years.