The Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (KGIRS) has denied shutting down 150 telecommunications base stations in the state as recently alleged by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).
The Director, Legal Services and Enforcement of the agency, Barr. Jamil Isah in a statement issued on Wednesday in Lokoja, explained that only five sites of Airtel and about 10 sites of MTN were sealed for tax defaults following a court order obtained from a state High Court to that effect.
He said the tax and levies demanded from the telecommunications were legal and backed by Law enacted by the Kogi State House of Assembly contrary to the claims made by the telecommunications operators.
“The demanded levies, rents and fees are also not illegal. In the case of Airtel, they have not paid their Right of Way permit fees which allows them to lay fibre optic cables in Kogi State.
“This payment has been due and owing since 2006. There are also outstanding yearly rents payable on the Right of Way Permits for the years 2017 and 2018.
“There is also the Annual Social Service Development Levy and the Employee Economic Annual Development Levy. Penalty for failure to pay for right of Way Permit and some other penalties are included”, he said.
He noted that KGIRS has since this administration been sending several demand notices to the telecommunications outfits but had continued to refuse paying these fees and levies while only paying their PAYE.
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