By Gbenga Olarinoye

OSOGBO —THE Osun State government, yesterday, explained the reason the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife was unsealed barely one week after it was sealed by the government for non-remittance of taxes.

Obafemi Awolowo University

Addressing newsmen in Osogbo, the Special Adviser on Tax and Revenue Matters, Mr Olugbenga Akano stated that the university was unsealed following the intervention of eminent Nigerians, including Mr Femi Falana, SAN.

Though full activities have since returned to the university, controversy, however, appears to still be trailing the actual amount owed by the Institution.

While the management of the Institution is claiming that its outstanding tax liability for 2015 and 2016 is N384 million, the state government disagreed with the figure stating that the tax remittance owed by OAU for 2015 to 2016 audit stands at N1.8 billion

Akano said the claim by the authority of OAU as their tax liability for 2015 and 2016 was misleading adding “the N287million is the outstanding balance in respect of the year 2006-2014 audit as at the time when the representatives from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation came into the matter.”

He said: “The figure of N384m, as being claimed by the authority of OAU as their outstanding tax liability for 2015 and 2016, is misleading.

“As at 4th May, 2018.the amount of N287,815, 947.07 has been their outstanding in respect of 2006 to 2014 contrary to OAU rejoinder of N384,000,000.00.

“The sum of N1.8bn claimed by the Osun State government is a painstaking audit of the books supplied by the institution themselves to our crack team of auditors.”