The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Wednesday said it has the backing of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act to collect the tax.

Rivers State government is currently locked in a legal battle with the tax agency over the collection of VAT.

FIRS Group Lead, Special Tax Operations Group, Mr. Matthew Gbonjubola and his Digital and Innovation counterpart, Mrs. Chiaka Ben-Obi gave insight into the position of the organisation, in Abuja.

Mr. Gbonjubola explained that the bulk of VAT revenue comes from imports as well as, federal government Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) contractors.

He said that in-country VAT revenue from the states was minimal.

According to him, no state government controls any port and that as such, it would be very difficult, if not impossible for sub-nationals to collect VAT.

Source:- Vanguard