VAT: APPEAL COURT GRANTS LAGOS’ REQUEST TO JOIN RIVERS STATE IN FIRS SUIT

The Abuja court of appeal has granted permission to Lagos state to join Rivers state as a respondent in the case between the states and Federal inland revenue service, FIRS on the collection of value added tax, VAT.

The honorable Court held that Lagos State has established beyond reasonable doubt that it has the right to protest on the issue of revenue collection in the country.

At the ruling, the judge, Justice Haruna Simon Tsamani, ordered that all processes filed in respect of the suit be served on Lagos State as a third respondent to enable the state respond as required by law to the appeal filed by FIRS and fixed October for the continuation of hearing of the case.

He also ordered that the matter be moved from Abuja to Port Harcourt division of the Court of Appeal. The appeal by the FIRS is against the August 9, 2021 judgment by Justice Steven Pam of the Federal High Court in Port-Harcourt, voiding the Value Added Tax, VAT Act and holding that states could collect VAT.

Written by BoomRadioNG