Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) has sealed off 10 business outlets in Akure and Idanre for defaulting in payment of land use charges, following a court judgement in favour of the state government.
The business outlets which were sealed off yesterday, include a shopping complex, filling stations, shops along high court road, Ijomu street, Araromi, St. Luke, Isikan, in Akure, a clinic at Utaja road and a sawmill at Ala road in Idanre where the officials met their absence, among others.
Speaking on the development, the Assistant Director and State counsel to the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS), Barrister Gregory Oyetan Afuwape said the enforcement was carried out following the non-payment of land use charge.
“We have taken the estate of these places to court and we receive the judgment. We served the judgment and up till today, they didn’t come around even to pay the land use charge.
“The landlords are aware because every statutory notice was served on them.”
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Afuwape disclosed that since 2017 Odopetu M. A Falade shopping Arcade along high court road has not paid the land use charge.
He urged the owners of the sealed businesses to visit the ODIRS to pay their debt, else, it will remain sealed according to the court judgment.
He further warned the occupants against breaking the seal, adding that there are task force officials from both the governor’s office and the ODIRS moving around for monitoring and anyone found around the premises will be arrested and charged to court for contempt of court.
However, a tenant who does not want her name in print expressed her sadness, saying the tenants are not the ones owing, adding that all they have paid charges from internal revenue and local government are being paid by them.
“Our landlords are the ones that are not playing their part as responsible citizens and this led to the closure of our shops. Please, help us to beg them because they will start disturbing us to pay rent like two months before the renewal of the rent. This will really affect our businesses, we’re being stopped from working now and we are not owing”.
