By Mustapha Sumaila
Contrary to recent court ruling, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has insisted that it is still in charge of collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) in the country.
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt had on Aug. 9 ruled that the Rivers government, not the FIRS, was the rightful authority to collect VAT.
Following the judgment, Gov. Nyesom Wike on Thursday, Aug. 19 signed into law a bill which authorises the Rivers government to henceforth collect VAT in the state.
The judgment also implies that other state governments should be in charge of collection of VAT.
But FIRS, in a statement by Mr Abdullahi Ahmad, its Director of Communications and Liaison Department on Sunday insisted that it is still in charge of collection of VAT in Nigeria.
The FIRS spokesperson explained that since the organisation had already appealed the judgment, in which it sought a stay of execution order and that the status quo ante should subsist on VAT collection.
He said taxpayers should continue to pay their VAT to the FIRS.
“The attention of the FIRS has been drawn to the trending report that on 19/08/2021, the Government of Rivers State took steps to enact a Value Added Tax Law for Rivers State following the Judgment of the Federal High Court Port Harcourt Division on August 9, 2021 in Suit No: CS/149/2020.
“The suit was about who has the constitutional duty for the collection of VAT and Personal income tax in Rivers State.
“We wish to inform the general public that before the above-mentioned steps taken by the Government of Rivers State, FIRS had lodged an appeal against the above judgment and had also filed an application for stay of execution of the judgment as well asking the court for an injunction pending the determination of the appeal.
“All parties to the suit are aware that both applications were heard on the 19th and 20th August 2021 and are awaiting the decision of the court.
“Given that the Court of Appeal is yet to rule on the Appeal from the Judgment of Federal High Court and that the Federal High Court is yet to deliver a ruling on FIRS’s applications for stay of execution and injunction” he explained.
Ahmad urged the public to continue to comply with their VAT obligations until the matter is resolved by the appellate court.