Reps Summon Customs, FIRS, Others Over Unremitted Taxes

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts on Wednesday summoned the Nigeria Customs Service, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Ministry of Industry and the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority to clarify allegations of non-remittances of taxes to the federation account by major players in the maritime sector.

The resolution was reached during an interactive session with major players in the sector at the National Assembly by members of the committee who sought to know if Tenaris Global Services Nigeria Ltd remitted taxes to the relevant government agencies.

The company appeared before the Hon. Whole Oke-led House Committee following an audit query by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation over its perceived Sharp practices.

The Chairman of the Committee Hon. Oluwole Oke (PDP, Osun), while grilling the representatives of the company lamented that most of the oil companies in the Zone were deliberately shortchanging the Federal Government with the connivance of government agencies.

Oke said that the relevant government agencies would be invited to give more insights into the tax compliance status of the company at the next public hearing.

He declared that the Committee was not out to witch hunt the companies but rather acting on the audit query received from the appropriate quarters for the Government which must be thoroughly investigated by the Parliament.

Other Agencies that appeared before the Committee on Wednesday include the Federal Character Commission and the Bureau of Public Procurement who submitted various departments for the defense of the various queries raised against them by the Auditor General of the Federation.