FIRS Moves To Speed Up Issuance Of Tax Clearance Certificate

BY ANDREW IKEHI/FAVOUR NZEI

THE Tax Controller, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Delta State, Mr. Babalola Olabisi says recent transformation in the service has greatly improved the process of Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) issuance.

Olabisi stated this in Asaba when a team of the Delta State One-Stop-Shop for Investors (DSOSSI), led by the Economic Adviser to the Delta State Governor, Afam Obiago, visited the office on a fact-finding mission

The tax controller said in the new regime, no certificate takes above two week before clearance.

He said the service had recorded tremendous improvement in their service delivery due to the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in its operations. This, he said, makes their work faster and convenient.

“We are committed to making our services tax payer friendly because the happier the tax payers, the greater their willingness to comply in terms of tax payment”.

He explained that following the recent introduction of ICT in their operations, tax payers can now file in their data on-line

Olabisi noted that contrary to speculations in some quarters, the Tax Identification Number (TIN) is given free of charge.

He emphasised that any FIRS staff that demands money from a client to issue the TIN should be regarded as a thief and treated as such.

The controller explained that the TIN is different from the pre-operational levy of N20, 000, which he said the applicant must pay before registration of their company.

He used the forum to appeal to Nigerians to take the issue of tax payment seriously adding that tax enforcement by its officers is the least thing FIRS would wish to do.

Earlier, the economic adviser, Mr. Afam Obiago told his host that the team was in his office on a fact-finding mission and to seek how the service would partner with the state government on the DSOSSI initiative.