Ondo Govt seals off six companies over land use charge

Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) has sealed off 6 business outlets in the state for non payment of land use charge.

This followed a court order obtained at the magistrate’s court in August this
year.

The exercise was carried out in Ọndo town, Ile Oluji and Bolorunduro.

The affected business outlets were: AC Alapa sawmill, Bolorunduro, Gilbert sawmill, Ondo, Be happy extension, ile oluji, Helibright hotel, Ondo, 1828 hotel and suites, Ondo, Bafdam rockview hotel, Ondo.

The leader of the enforcement team, Barrister Gregory Oyetan Afuwape, the Assistant Director, State counsel (ODIRS) noted that land use charge is a law in Ondo State that empowers the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service to move round every property in Ondo State and recover a charge levied against them.

He added that the team embarked on the enforcement because of their experience with tax defaulters.

He added that the business outlets had been served a lot of notices for them to pay their tax liabilities.

Afuwape stressed that government would not close her eyes against tax defaulters because the money generated from the tax are being used to construct roads and take care of the citizens of the State.

“Before now, we have been to court, we secure judgment against the business owners but because they failed to do the needful and the court ordered us to seal them off”.

“The only procedure to unseal the premises is for the business owners to come around and make the payment to the designated account of the Ondo State government, once that is done, the tax authority will unseal their business outlets”.

Afuwape further added that anyone who unseals the business outlet without the permission of the State government, risks 7- year jail term

He urged the business owners to come and pay their tax liabilities else, their business outlets will remain locked till further notice.