The Nasarawa State Urban Development Board (NUDB), yesterday commenced the demolition of signposts and billboards erected by banks and oil marketing companies who have failed to pay their taxes and clear the backlogs of their outstanding permits.
Using the earth moving vehicles, men of the board commenced from Lafia City Gate, the gateway into Lafia, from Akwanga, halting the exercise after destroying over 200 along Jos and Makurdi roads.
“We halted the exercise for today, after pulling down over 200 Public Information Boards (PIB) belonging to various firms and banks, they have evaded taxation, and we are enforcing relevant laws to bring them to compliance,” Ibrahim Safiyanu, Managing Director of Oryx and Lynx Gifts LTD, consultants appointed by NUDB, on outdoor advertising, told Daily Trust, after the exercise.
He said the state was being owed about N1 billion between 2011 and 2013 alone, in tax evasion by banks and oil marketing companies as well as various other firms. He said Lafia town alone has over 500 PIBs, and about 76 bill boards, not paid for.
Safiyanu also disclosed that the exercise, between morning and afternoon when the bulldozers worked, has achieved its aim, adding that many firms rushed to pay their tax.
He, however, said that since warned of the board’s impending action, , First City Monument Bank, Diamond Bank, Access Bank, First Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Conoil as well as Yumaco oil marketing companies have obliged by paying for permits.
He said monitoring will be constant to check against what he called “sharp practices by firms”, explaining that “most of them come from Lagos at weekends, and erect billboards and PIBs, in order to evade tax on permit.”
Daily Trust recalls that in the demand notice given last year, the government stated: “In view of this, the consultant has given twenty one (21) days ultimatum to all Service Providers to clear the backlog of their permits status otherwise it will have no choice but to seal off such Base Telecommunication Stations and remove the Billboards, Gantry and any other related installations, until all payments and necessary approvals are obtained from the Authority.”
“We halted the exercise for today, after pulling down over 200 Public Information Boards (PIB) belonging to various firms and banks, they have evaded taxation, and we are enforcing relevant laws to bring them to compliance,” Ibrahim Safiyanu, Managing Director of Oryx and Lynx Gifts LTD, consultants appointed by NUDB, on outdoor advertising, told Daily Trust, after the exercise.
He said the state was being owed about N1 billion between 2011 and 2013 alone, in tax evasion by banks and oil marketing companies as well as various other firms. He said Lafia town alone has over 500 PIBs, and about 76 bill boards, not paid for.
Safiyanu also disclosed that the exercise, between morning and afternoon when the bulldozers worked, has achieved its aim, adding that many firms rushed to pay their tax.
He, however, said that since warned of the board’s impending action, , First City Monument Bank, Diamond Bank, Access Bank, First Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Conoil as well as Yumaco oil marketing companies have obliged by paying for permits.
He said monitoring will be constant to check against what he called “sharp practices by firms”, explaining that “most of them come from Lagos at weekends, and erect billboards and PIBs, in order to evade tax on permit.”
Daily Trust recalls that in the demand notice given last year, the government stated: “In view of this, the consultant has given twenty one (21) days ultimatum to all Service Providers to clear the backlog of their permits status otherwise it will have no choice but to seal off such Base Telecommunication Stations and remove the Billboards, Gantry and any other related installations, until all payments and necessary approvals are obtained from the Authority.”
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