FIRS will continue to collect VAT – FG
By Matthew Eloyi
The Federal Government has said that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) will continue to collect Value Added Tax (VAT) following the ruling of the Court of Appeal on the matter.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, disclosed this to newsmen in New York while speaking on the disagreement over the collection of VAT between FIRS and Rivers State Government.
Malami explained that the ruling of the Court of Appeal that FIRS and the Rivers Government maintain status quo favoured FIRS.
He said that it was Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) that had been collecting the VAT before the dispute arose, over which the Rivers government approached the High Court.
In his words, “The position of not only the Federal Government but indeed the judiciary is the fact that status quo associated with the collecting of VAT should be maintained.
“And as far as the judicial system is concerned, the status quo as at the time the parties approached the court, it was the Federal Inland Revenue Service that was indeed collecting the value-added tax.
“So with that in mind, the Federal Government has succeeded in obtaining an order that establishes the sustenance of the status quo, which status quo is that the Federal Inland Revenue Service should continue collection.
“This is pending the determination of the cases that were instituted by states, particularly the Rivers State Government and the Lagos State government. The cases are being determined by the court.”
FIRS will continue to collect VAT – FG
