Youth Council Hails Nami on FIRS Reforms

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has described reports criticising the proposed 2022 expenditure of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as spurious and mischievous.

National President of the NYCN, Solomon Adodo, who stated this at a media briefing in Abuja, while commending the good work done by the FIRS boss, noted that since the assumption of office by the Chairman, Muhammad Nami, on December 18, 2019, he has initiated and implemented several strategic reforms aimed at making tax administration more effective, particularly through expanding the National Tax Net so that more revenue could be generated without raising the percentage of tax paid.

“The determination of the Nami-led FIRS to go after some big and hitherto untouchable tax offenders has continued to gain traction. For example, many businesses that either did not pay taxes or did not pay the correct amount have been made to pay under the very deliberate programme of the Management,” the council said.

He expressed worry over a recent publication and the alleged “sinister intentions behind it.”

Adodo noted that the NYCN would not fold its hands to watch individuals or corporate organisations drag the FIRS and its well-intended programmes, aimed at salvaging the country’s economy, to the mud.

“NYCN cannot sit back and watch the national tax administration and the well-intentioned programmes of the FIRS be dragged into the mud, especially if viewed against the backdrop of the fact that the agency mobilises revenue for our Commonwealth, thereby contributing to our national economic development as well as the well-being of ordinary Nigerians generally,” he said.

A report had stated the FIRS was to spend N2.8 billion on uniforms. The report, which did not go down well with the FIRS in view of the fact that it was only a proposed budget, had noted that the tax body budgeted about N550 million for refreshments.

Reacting to the report, the youth council stated that, “any discerning mind would see that the said budget estimate is a proposed expenditure that would eventually pass through the eagle eyes of the National Assembly for rigorous scrutiny.”

The council wondered why such a document should suddenly become public controversy as depicted in the report.