Tax bills not threat, FIRS assures TETFUND, others

There is nothing in the four tax bills currently before the National Assembly that threatens the existence of any government agency or the jobs of individuals, the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, has said.

Adedeji gave the assurance in Abuja on Wednesday, while receiving the chief executive officers of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND)
He spoke against the background of fears that the proposed change of the name of FIRS to Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) would lead to the tax agency subsuming several federal agencies.

The FIRS chairman, who commended the management of the agencies for seeking clarification on the bills, explained that the changes would only enhance the efficiency of the agencies and make their operations more seamless.

“I want to assure you that there is nothing in the bills that will reduce your funding, effectiveness or efficiency. What we have in the Bills are provisions that will help us lay a solid foundation for your sustainability.
“The Federal Government is repositioning its fiscal outlook to be able to meet the funding requirements of all agencies. The main objective is to enhance tax efficiency, and ease compliance levels.

“The bills, when passed into law, will allow various agencies to focus on their respective functions rather than bothering about revenue collection,” he said.

The heads of the agencies took turns explaining the mandates of the institutions and how they have contributed to the national economy.