Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS) has announced new measures for tax remittances and other processes in revenue generation drive in the face of COVID-19 pandemic.
Chairman of BIRS, Andrew Ayabam, in a statement, explained that the new measures were intended to mitigate against the effect of COVID-19 on tax payers in the state.
He said the tax agency was aware that it will be difficult for taxpayers to engage in physical or manual tax process, in view of the pandemic-control protocols and therefore fully digitalised its tax processes.
The tax administrator listed three digitalised tax processes as including, Electronic Taxpayer Registration, Electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC), Electronic Filing of Returns and Electronic Payment of taxes.
Ayabam also disclosed that the government, in furtherance of its support to taxpayers, had extended time for filing of annual returns for businesses between March 31, 2020 and May 31, 2020.
“BIRS has provided dedicated e-mails addresses to be used by taxpayers and tax practitioners during this period. The Service has considered the lockdown period and granted exception to taxpayers that are unable to file their objection to tax assessment within the statutory period,” he stated.
Ayabam further disclosed that the state government had granted a waiver of 50 percent on land rated fees and charges while the tax agency has engaged in an online sensitisation campaign for taxpayers on the use of e-platforms for transactions.
