FIRS Boss Not Under Investigation Says Presidency – TheNigerialawyer

The Presidency on Monday said that the chairman of the Federal
Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, was not under any
probe.

In a statement on its verified Twitter handle, the Presidency
dismissed stories of the alleged probe.

The statement as shared on Twitter read, “Following reports
making the rounds in some media outlets, it is necessary to state
categorically that the Chair of Federal Inland Revenue Service,
Babatunde Fowler, is not under any investigation.

“The letter from the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba
Kyari, on which the purported rumour of an investigation is based,
merely raises concerns over the negative run of the tax revenue
collection in recent times.

“Taking a cue from today’s (Monday) presentation of Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Retreat for
Ministers-Designate, Federal Permanent Secretaries and Top
Government Functionaries, which dwelt on an ‘Overview of the
Policies, Programmes and Project Audit Committee,’ a body he
chaired, projected revenue of government falls behind recurrent
expenditure even without having factored in capital
expenditure.

“Consequently, it would appear that the country might be heading
for a fiscal crisis if urgent steps are not taken to halt the
negative trends in target setting and target realisation in tax
revenue.

“Anyone conversant with Federal Executive Council (FEC)
deliberations would have observed that issues bordering on revenue
form the number one concern of what Nigeria faces today, and
therefore, often take a prime place in discussions of the body.

“It is noteworthy and highly commendable that under this
administration, the number of taxable adults has increased from 10
million to 20 million with concerted efforts still on-going to
bring a lot more into the tax net.”

President Buhari Addresses In-Coming Ministers on
NextLevel Agenda

I welcome you all to this meeting whose purpose is firstly, to
familiarize ourselves with our colleagues with whom we shall be
working closely for the next four years GOD willing; secondly, to
reflect and assess the country’s position in 2015 and today; and
thirdly, to chart a course for the country for the foreseeable
future.

2. I congratulate all the new comers who your country has chosen
above others to join the first term Ministers whose performance has
been outstanding. All of you are appointed to assist and advise the
President in running the affairs of our country. At the end of the
Retreat, it is hoped that all of you will be in tune with the roles
and responsibilities of positions you will occupy in Government.
Many national issues require unified decisions.

3. It is a great privilege for you to be called upon to serve in
these Great Offices of State and you must grasp the chance with two
hands and put in your best efforts as Nigeria today needs top
managers to handle our numerous challenges. There will be long
hours and you must be prepared to live laborious days if we are to
serve our people optimally.

4. Ladies and gentlemen, we are all aware of the looming
demographic potential of our country. By average estimates, our
population is close to 200 million today. By 2050, UN estimates put
Nigeria third globally behind only India and China with our
projected population at 411 million.

5. This is a frightening prospect but only if we sit idly by and
expect handouts from so-called development partners. The solution
to our problems lies within us.

6. Honourable Ministers-Designate, in our first term we
identified three salient areas for close attention and action,
namely to secure the country, to improve the economy and to fight
corruption.

7. None but the most partisan will dispute that we have made
headway in all three areas:

First – we have rolled back the frontiers of terrorism; we are
actively addressing other challenges such as kidnappings,
farmer-herder violence, improving the safety of our roads,
railways, air traffic and fire control capacities.

Second – we are steadily turning the economy round through
investment in agriculture and manufacturing, shoring up our foreign
reserves, curbing inflation and improving the country’s
infrastructure.

Third – on corruption, we have recovered hundreds of billions of
stolen assets and are actively pursuing control measures to tackle
leakages in public resources. We will not let up in fighting
corruption.

8. As Ministers, I am counting on you together with Advisers and
Nigerians willing and able to contribute to build upon our road map
of policies, programmes and projects that will lift the bulk of our
people out of poverty and set them on the road to prosperity.

9. Our Administration’s eight years will have laid the grounds
for lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years. This
outcome will fundamentally shift Nigeria’s trajectory and place us
among the World’s Great Nations.

11. Honourable Ministers-Designate, you will be responsible for
the development and implementation of policies, programmes and
projects in your various Ministries, Departments and Agencies in
line with Government priorities. You must also ensure that Agencies
under your Ministries are effective, efficient and accountable in
the discharge of their responsibilities.

12. Honourable Ministers-Designate, we must work as a team.
Although you have been chosen to represent your states as a
constitutional imperative, it is vital for all of you to work as
Nigerians.

13. Furthermore, working as a team demands that we know what the
next person is doing. You must open communications with your
colleagues. Lack of communication leads to lack of cooperation and
sub-optimal performance.

14. Finally, although this is called a Retreat, I would like to
think this is a preparation for an advance to the Next Level. Thank
you ladies and gentlemen. I wish you fruitful deliberations.

Muhammadu Buhari
President