The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has sealed
53 hotels and eateries for failing to remit about N119.41 million occupancy and
consumption taxes to the State Government.
The Head of the Distrain Unit of the LIRS, Mrs Ajibike
Oshodi-Sholola, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.
She said the sealing was carried out by two enforcement
teams set up by the LIRS.
Oshodi-Sholola, who led the enforcement teams, said the teams
sealed 23 companies for not remitting over N66.07 million, while 30 firms were
sealed for not paying taxes, amounting to N53.34.
She said the sealing of the firms was carried out earlier
this month.
The LIRS official said that not up to 70 per cent of hotels
and hospitality companies operating in the state were paying tax.
``The essence of the three-day consecutive sealing exercise
is to ensure that large numbers of the hospitality firms owing occupancy and
consumption taxes to the State Government paid their taxes.
``LIRS has, therefore, resolved to frequently embark on such
enforcements until tax payers and corporate organisations in the state imbibed
the culture of paying tax voluntarily.’’
Oshodi-Sholola noted that a large number of the affected
hotels had rushed to LIRS offices to pay their taxes during the sealing
enforcement, adding that the firms had since re-opened shops.
She said that hotels that were yet to make
payments would remain shut until their taxes were paid. 
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