The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service, FCT-IRS, has threatened to impose a N500,000 minimal penalty on defaulters of annual returns submitting within the FCT.
Michael Ango, performing Executive Chairman of the providers gave the warning in Abuja on Thursday, through the FCT-IRS annual sensitisation marketing campaign to mobilise FCT residents for voluntary tax compliance.
Mr Ango defined that the individuals who didn’t file their 2024 annual returns in January 2025, the legislation had set a penalty of N500,000 minimal penalty.
He mentioned that the primary submitting deadline for the yr was Jan. 31, 2025, the place the employer’s annual returns had been due, including an inexpensive variety of firms had filed.
He recommended each firm that filed their staff’ annual returns, including that the FCT-IRS would write them a letter of commendation.
He, nonetheless, mentioned, “For those that didn’t file, we’re additionally going to jot down them a letter however not a letter of commendation.
“We are going to be sending out penalties’ notification for noncompliance and then give them a chance to comply.”
“We have already written to a number of them, informing them of the minimum penalty of N500,000, but that is not just it, we also have the power to prosecute defaulters,” he mentioned.
He added that one other deadline would come up in 30 days for each individual, whether or not in employment or not, to file their annual earnings tax.
Mr Ango defined that the legislation mandates each individual, whether or not in employment or to not file their annual earnings tax returns by March 31 yearly.
“This is one of the things that we hope this roadshow will be able to achieve. We want to see compliance as high as possible,” he mentioned.
He appealed to law-abiding residents to pay their taxes voluntarily, including that fee of tax was a lawful obligation.
According to him, the place the legislation creates an obligation, it additionally creates penalties and sanctions for noncompliance.
“We consider in voluntary compliance as the very best type of compliance, but when you don’t comply voluntarily, we’ll don’t have any choice than to implement the legislation, even when we don’t wish to.
“The legal guidelines mandate us to take action, however we pray, and we hope that it doesn’t get there however there are additionally obligations anticipated from the general public.
“We count on these of you who haven’t registered to return and register with the FCT-IRS.
“We pray that one day we’ll have 100 per cent tax compliance in Abuja and we’ll all be able to sit down and say that I contributed to the building of this great city, Abuja.”
He identified that the main focus of the present administration for about two years now has been on infrastructure, roads, rehabilitation of colleges, hospitals and provision of different social infrastructure.
“The Abuja that we envisage is an Abuja that may compete with any main capital metropolis on this planet. That is the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s imaginative and prescient, and we consider that that imaginative and prescient is achievable.
“We are out on the highway to let Abuja residents know that the FCT-IRS desires to companion with them to construct a world-class metropolis the place we’ve got good roads, working water, good hospitals, improved safety and the place our youngsters can go to good faculties.
“We want a city where we have streetlights, recreation parks and all of the other things that make a city lovable,” Mr Ango mentioned.
NAN