Business owners who use of point of sale systems, as well as those who run lotto shops and kiosks around Agbado/Oke-Odo local council developemt area (LCDA) in Lagos state, have been asked to pay a weekly levy of N600 to prevent the locking up of their shops.
The N600 levy is the latest in a series of tax-related payments for business owners.
Nigerians have accused the government of frustrating small business owners in the country with different tax policies.
This development comes after Nigerians criticised the new guidelines approved by the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), including the increase in licence fees for courier companies.
But Isa Ali Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, denied giving approval to NIPOST after the increment was criticised.
Earlier in the month, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) had also announced that stamp duty will now be paid on house rent and certificates of occupancy.
In a notice, Adetunji Muideen, chief executive officer of Trilling Volant Services (TVS), said failure to pay the weekly fee will attract a fine of N5,000.
TVS appears to be the revenue collection company engaged by the LCDA.
“All POS/Lotto shops/kiosks around Agbado Oke Odo LCDA are mandated to pay a sum of six hundred naira (N600),” the notice read.
“It is a weekly fee from revenue generated, payments are to be made through Trilling Volant Services (TVS).
“Kindly note that failure to comply will bring our enforcement team to LOCKING UP your shop or MOVING your kiosk/banner and it will attract fine of FIVE THOUSAND NAIRA (N5000) before reopening. Commencement date: 25 Juy, 2020.”
Some Nigerians on social media have questioned the legality of the notice and described it as an attempt to further inflict hardship on entrepreneurs.
A typical example of how elderly ones will be constantly creating a problem for the younger generation to solve and @ProfOsinbajo thinking youths are not creative enough while @MBuhari says youths are lazy. @jidesanwoolu saying ooin @AsiwajuTinubu waiting for bullion vans.😤😤😤
— BeautifulSoup🇳🇬 (@theniyi) July 26, 2020
While sensible people accros the world are looking to build small scale businesses to drive economic growth, Nigeria especially Lagos continues to wage wave after wave of attacks to crush them
— Stephen (@StephenomohX) July 26, 2020
A typical example of how elderly ones will be constantly creating a problem for the younger generation to solve and @ProfOsinbajo thinking youths are not creative enough while @MBuhari says youths are lazy. @jidesanwoolu saying ooin @AsiwajuTinubu waiting for bullion vans.😤😤😤
— BeautifulSoup🇳🇬 (@theniyi) July 26, 2020
How do you close people’s shops without a court order? What gives the LCDA or Local Government that right? Is this normal? Even EFCC and FIRS must have an order to seal your premises but because they’re dealing with the small man they become voltrons.
— Opeyemi Akinwoleola (@AkinwoleolaO) July 26, 2020
Erstwhile comatose Government (agencies & parastatals) personnel suddenly become vibrant and innovate when fleecing citizens is the goal.
— ‘Dele Abiodun (@MASKURAID) July 26, 2020
What I still don’t get is how this country’s government find ways to continuously ruin the lives of the masses but turn blind eyes from the cost of government official and their frivolities. I’m sick to my stomach
— Iheanacho chidinma❤️😍 (@E_Dith18) July 26, 2020
How would a circular supposed to have emanated from an LCDA in Lagos be signed by the engaged revenue vendor? More so there are no reference to laws from the local councilors’ seating which would formulate policies for the LCDA. This is so shoddy with imprints of illegalism
— Joachim Chuks 🇳🇬 (@C_Katzz) July 26, 2020
@PoliceNG_CRU @PoliceNG_lagos kindly ensure that your officers and men don’t become state actors of ridicule & illegality. A revenue can not be issuing such an order to the Police. The public notice has no reference to such law or it’s existence. @ElkanaBala @frankmbablog FYA
— Joachim Chuks 🇳🇬 (@C_Katzz) July 26, 2020
But there is a law that say SME should not pay company tax as long as it does not make up to 25 million naira a year, pay only personal income tax, so where are these person getting their legal backing to collect tax. Confused leaders Ghanaian mobile money vendors are not levied!
— Laissez-faire (@EddytMoni) July 26, 2020
How can these elements go about disrupting people trying to make a living and goverment is there watching? In this time of Covid19 suffering!
I am not surprised when at the national level they keep coming up with all sorts of taxes and levies!— Martin (@nkordehm) July 26, 2020
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