By Sunday Ogli, Makurdi
Management of Jos Electricity Distribution, JED, Plc, has called on the Management of BIRS to swap its tax liability by deducting it from the state government’s indebtedness to the company.
Benue State Government is indebted to Jos Disco as at 31st December, 2021 to the tune of ₦157,943,414.14 million while Jos Disco owes state’s tax agency; BIRS ₦156,515,414.47 million.
However, BIRS, as a result of the debt, sealed off the operational office of Jos Disco in Gboko and Makurdi on Wednesday.
The sealing of the company’s premises, according to the Head, Corporate Communications of JED Plc, Dr. Friday Adakole Elijah, shows that BIRS do not want to pay what the state government is owing the company but want JED Plc to pay what they are owing in taxes.
Dr. Elijah in a press release made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Thursday, refuted the allegation of debt abdication levelled against JED Plc by the Chairman of BIRS, Mimi Orubibi, as being the reason for sealing the company’s premises in the state.
He said it was untrue that the company was owing the Revenue Service the humongous amount of money being claimed by the Chairman, Mrs Mimi Adzape – Orubibi.
The electricity company, Dr. Elijah further stated was not in debt as far as remittance of P.A.Y.E was concerned stressing that, “there is incontrovertible evidence to show that Jos Electricity Distribution Plc has been remitting their PAYE to the Board Account Number – Union Bank 0025168481.
“This could be gleaned from several correspondences and meetings to this effect”, the press release stated.
Dr Elijah further disclosed that to resolve the impasse, the two bodies had mandated their tax consultants to ascertain the true situation of things.
