Business owners who use of point of sale systems, as well as those who run lotto shops and kiosks around Agbado/Oke-Odo local council developemt area (LCDA) in Lagos state, have been asked to pay a weekly levy of N600 to prevent the locking up of their shops.
The N600 levy is the latest in a series of tax-related payments for business owners.
Nigerians have accused the government of frustrating small business owners in the country with different tax policies.
This development comes after Nigerians criticised the new guidelines approved by the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), including the increase in licence fees for courier companies.
But Isa Ali Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, denied giving approval to NIPOST after the increment was criticised.
Earlier in the month, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) had also announced that stamp duty will now be paid on house rent and certificates of occupancy.
In a notice, Adetunji Muideen, chief executive officer of Trilling Volant Services (TVS), said failure to pay the weekly fee will attract a fine of N5,000.
TVS appears to be the revenue collection company engaged by the LCDA.
“All POS/Lotto shops/kiosks around Agbado Oke Odo LCDA are mandated to pay a sum of six hundred naira (N600),” the notice read.
“It is a weekly fee from revenue generated, payments are to be made through Trilling Volant Services (TVS).
“Kindly note that failure to comply will bring our enforcement team to LOCKING UP your shop or MOVING your kiosk/banner and it will attract fine of FIVE THOUSAND NAIRA (N5000) before reopening. Commencement date: 25 Juy, 2020.”
Some Nigerians on social media have questioned the legality of the notice and described it as an attempt to further inflict hardship on entrepreneurs.
They want to collect this levy weekly as cash and without any accountability systems. Shows that they don't even understand how it all works and have no idea of how the agents make money.
Someone there thinks they are brilliant but this is a stupid blatant attempt at stealing. pic.twitter.com/b6EZau8iJJ
— Osaretin Victor Asemota (@asemota) July 26, 2020
A typical example of how elderly ones will be constantly creating a problem for the younger generation to solve and @ProfOsinbajo thinking youths are not creative enough while @MBuhari says youths are lazy. @jidesanwoolu saying ooin @AsiwajuTinubu waiting for bullion vans.😤😤😤
— TheNiyi🇳🇬 (@theniyi) July 26, 2020
This is standard in those areas o. Crazy gestapo stuff. They will come with padlocks and chains and a mob.
— Rikimaru Tenchu (@IamRikimaru) July 26, 2020
https://twitter.com/e_dith18/status/1287348581066825728?s=21
How would a circular supposed to have emanated from an LCDA in Lagos be signed by the engaged revenue vendor? More so there are no reference to laws from the local councilors' seating which would formulate policies for the LCDA. This is so shoddy with imprints of illegalism
— Joachim Chuks 🇳🇬 (@C_Katzz) July 26, 2020
(The Cable)
