Shoprite, SPAR and other supermarkets have been sealed by the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service over alleged failure to remit purchase tax in their malls to the government.

In a statement issued on Tuesday morning after the enforcement drive, ESIRS accused the malls and stores affected of refusing to remit withholding purchase taxes despite being served several warning notices.

According to the statement signed by the service spokesperson, Nnamdi Eneh, ESiRS officials also sealed Roban Stores and Mama Onyinye restaurant among others for the same offence.

The ESIRS Head Department of eateries, bars, hotels, and shopping malls, Egwuonwu Perpetual said the agency visited the sealed malls on several occasions to request evidence of payment of the purchase tax but they failed to remit.

She said the purchase tax on the goods that the buyers pay whenever they patronise their outlets was the only thing they were enforcing.

Egwuonwu added that they had also pleaded with the concerned individuals to be remitting their taxes as at when due but “they have been recalcitrant and till now they have not done anything concerning these instructions.

“It is worthy of note that after we met with the Roban Stores, they displayed our sticker and have complied with remitting their purchase tax to the IRS.

“On the other hand, ShopRite has frustrated all our efforts to get them to do the needful. It is always one story or another. Eventually, they promised us that before the end of February, they would do something but we are in March and the ESIRS have not heard from them,” she said.