Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has deployed an online portal to address fake Tax Clearance Certificates (TCC) issued by fraudsters.
This was disclosed by Mr Abdullahi Ahmad, Director, Communications and Liaison Department of FIRS, in a statement issued in Abuja over the weekend.
Mr Ahmad said the effort was part of measures to check the activities of fraudsters who specialise in producing and selling fake TCC.
He explained that it had unveiled a state-of-the-art and user-friendly online portal that detects any TCC not duly issued by the FIRS.
Mr Ahmad quoted the Executive Chairman, FIRS, Mr Muhammad Nami, as saying this in Abuja while receiving the management of the Federal Capital Territory (FCTA) Land Administration.
Mr Nami said: “We are not unmindful of the activities of fraudsters who specialise in producing and selling fake TCCs to tax evaders.
“The FIRS has now gone ahead of them as it has launched an online portal through which Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), corporates and individuals could confirm the genuineness of TCCs issued to them.
“The moment anyone presents a TCC to transact any business with you, we want you to visit www.tcc.firs.gov.ng.
“The moment you put the Taxpayer Identification Number of the company, its RC number and the name of the company in the portal, the actual Tax Clearance Certificate of the company.
“If it has any, will come up. If the TCC presented to you is fake, you will know. When you come across such cases, you should immediately inform us so that we prosecute such people.
“The only way we can collaborate as government agencies is to share information.”
The Chairman urged the FCTA Land Administration authorities and other public and private organisations to henceforth fact-check any TCC presented to them before transacting any business.
The FIRS helmsman also enjoined the FCTA Land Administration management to make it mandatory for anyone registering any property in Abuja to present a TCC.
According to him, it is by so doing that the revenue profile of the government will increase and be enough to support the developmental needs of the government at all levels.
In his remarks, the Director of FCTA Land Administration, Mr Adamu Hussaini, who led the delegation, expressed willingness to collaborate with the FIRS.
Mr Hussain said their areas of interest were on Capital Gains Tax and Stamp Duties for properties in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
