The Chairman of the Ondo State Board of Internally Generated Revenue, Mr. Akin Akinsehinwa, has said the state government has sealed some mast sites belonging to telecommunication company, MTN, because of alleged N458 million tax evasion.
Akinsehinwa, who addressed reporters at the weekend in Akure, the state capital, said despite a court order backing the government’s action against MTN, the telecommunication company allegedly continued to operate on the sealed masts.
He said: “It is an unfortunate situation for a company that is supposed to be a socially responsible corporate organisation, getting involved in such kind of criminal activity.
“The board sealed off MTN offices and masts located across the state, following a court order for the alleged failure of the telecommunication company to pay the 2010-2013 tax of N458 million.”
The chairman said the revenue board approached the telecommunication company on several occasions on the need to pay its statutory taxes, adding that it refused to pay.
Akinsehinwa said it was an anomaly for a company of MTN’s status not to pay its tax.
He said: “It was found out that there are some aspects of tax where it is yet to cooperate with us, such as withholding tax on supply and on professional fees, especially on its masts across the state.
“At a stage, its personnel started telling us some lies, to cause tax evasion. We did not have a choice than to seek a court’s order to seal off some masts”.
