Lagos signs VAT bill into law

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has signed into law the State VAT Bill, passed by the House of Assembly.

Sanwo-Olu signed the “bill for a law to impose and charge VAT on certain goods and services” at about 11. 45am today, after returning from an official trip to Abuja.

However, the Appeal Court in Abuja has restricted the Rivers State government from collecting Value Added Taxes VAT until all legal disputes relating to the matter are resolved.

The court of Appeal ordered that the judgment of the state high court from which the state drew authorities to collect the tax should not be implemented.

Appeal Court stop Rivers from Collecting VAT, Justice Haruna Simon Tsanami who issued the order in Abuja on Friday also directed that the law passed by Rivers State House of Assembly and assented to by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike must not be implemented.

The appeal court held that since parties have submitted themselves to the authorities of the court for adjudication of the matter, they must not do anything that will destroy the subject matter of the appeal.

In specific terms, Justice Tsanami granted status quo ante in favour of the Federal Inland Revenue Services FIRS and against the respondents.

The matter has been slated for September 16 for a hearing of the motion for joinder by Lagos State.