The Anambra State Government has vowed to fish out its official who denied a former Governor of the State, Peter Obi, tax clearance certificate in 2016.
The decision to deny Obi the tax clearance certificate led to the former governor paying his yearly dues in Enugu State, a development that came into the public domain last week when he was summoned by the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service.
Obi was said to have paid over N205 million as tax to the Enugu State Government and also presented his tax clearance certificate for 20 years.
According to a report by Sunday Vanguard, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said the State Government will get to the root of the denial of Obi his tax clearance certificate.
Adinuba, who confirmed the decision to invite prominent indigenes of the state over the payment of tax, said it was in the first place wrong for a sub-office of the Anambra State Internal Revenue Service to have invited Obi.
Obi reported at the Onitsha Office of the IRS based on the summon Juliet Nwakpudolu.
Nwakpudolu is the Chief Tax Officer coordinating GRA Phase 2, Onitsha.
She serves as Senior Business Manager.
Adinuba said such prominent people as Obi should be invited only by the headquarters of the IRS in Awka, the state capital.
Obi, who spoke during his appearance at the tax office amid heavy downpour, said: “Nothing to worry.
“As a citizen, I can visit any office in the country, including those in my state, when I have issues to sort out.”
Obi commended Nwakpudolu for her politeness and professionalism, adding that he was asked to show his six years tax clearance, which showed he had paid N205 million over 20 years.
He said: “I am happy the professional way Juliet conducted herself.
“It was a first class conduct and this is the kind of person that every international organisation should hire.
“I am sure she was not anticipating that I will answer her summon.
“But as a good citizen who knows the importance of taxation for government to operate, I honoured her summon.
“I wish other people could be like her in attending to clients and tax payers the professional way she attended to me.”
Nwakpudolu said her office requested evidence of payment of taxes in the last six years from the former Governor.
She said the government of Chief Willie Obiano was doing a great developmental work hence the taxes were needed to support him, thus informing the invitation to prominent citizens like Obi.
She said if Obi had paid the taxes he paid to Enugu State in her office, she would have met her target of N80 million for the year easily.
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