Dickson writes Buhari, says IOCs don’t pay tax

The acrimony between Bayelsa State government and multinational oil companies deepened on Thursday with the governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, seeking the intervention of the Presidency on what he said are over tax evasion, flagrant disregard to laws and non-compliance with the rules and regulations of the country.

Among the oil companies he mentioned as major culprits in tax evasion are Shell Petroleum Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC); Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC); Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL); Consolidated Oil (CL); Conoil Producing; Brass LNG and Aiteo Energy.

Dickson in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), dated April 18 2016 and obtained on Thursday in Abuja, pleaded that the government should not support the oil companies.

Read also: FIRS says tax evasion by IOCs cost Nigeria $250b yearly

He said, “Our further position is that the Federal Government and its agencies should not condone or support irresponsible behaviour by these companies whose conduct subvert and undermine the authority of the state and our economy especially in the areas we have legislative authority such as Development Control, taxes permitted by Federal Laws and other legislations within the residual powers of the State”, he said.

He specifically complained about defaults by oil and gas companies operating in the state to pay taxes and levies over time.

Dickson therefore, urged the President to use his good offices to prevail on the companies concerned, who are licencees of the Federal Government, to comply with the laws of the state and that of the country.

 

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