Enugu State Government Seals ShopRite, SPAR, Cites Reason

The Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ESiRS) enforcement team sealed the prominent ShopRite and SPAR malls on Tuesday morning. The closure follows allegations of non-remittance of purchase taxes despite repeated warning notices served to the establishments.

Enugu ShopRite and SPAR, along with other businesses including Roban and Mama Onyinye restaurant, faced closure as the ESiRS took stringent action against tax defaulters.

Egwuonwu Perpetual, Head of Department for eateries, bars, hotels, and shopping malls at ESiRS, expressed disappointment in the businesses’ failure to comply with tax obligations. Perpetual revealed that the agency had made repeated visits to the sealed establishments, requesting the purchase tax, but to no avail.

Despite pleas and warnings, the businesses remained non-compliant. Perpetual stated, “After meeting with Roban store, they displayed our sticker and have since complied. However, ShopRite has frustrated all our efforts, promising action by the end of February, which, as of March, remains unfulfilled.”

Egwuonwu emphasized that the closures would persist until the outstanding tax issues were resolved.

Nnamdi Eneh, the spokesperson for ESiRS, clarified that the agency had conducted extensive public enlightenment campaigns, urging citizens to fulfill their tax obligations. Eneh highlighted that the enforcement actions were not intended to disrupt businesses but were necessary due to the continued non-compliance of certain entities.

“Our objective is not to disrupt anybody’s business, but since pleading did not work, this is the only way to compel them to do what they are supposed to do,” Eneh asserted. The ESiRS remains firm in its commitment to enforcing tax remittances for the benefit of the state.