*My action in order ― Attah
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
The Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory on
Thursday walked out the Management of the Federal Capital Territory
Internal Revenue Service ( FCT – IRS) from its Committee session at
the National Assembly.
![image](/2021/01/payne-alex.jpg")
The management team led by Mallam Abdullahi Attah had appeared
before the Senate Committee for approval of the N8.5billion 2021
budget proposal.
The Committee led by Senator representing Borno North, Abubakar
Kyari had raised eyebrow over N1billion planned remittance to the
Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS) from projected N100 billion
revenue generation in 2021.
The explanation offered by Mallam Attah that the proposed
remittance was for payment of salaries of 117 FIRS staff who are
collaborating with the agency angered virtually all the
Senators.
Attah had told the Committee that “out of the entire 130
operatives of the agency, 117 of them are from the FIRS who must be
taken care of.”
First to explain his disaffection was Senator Kyari who wondered
why the agency since its inception four years ago has not recruited
enough personnel to drive its revenue drive.
He said,” are you saying that the N1billion remitted to the FIRS
from the N50billion generated last year, was for payment of
salaries of the 117 FIRS? Being a staff of FIRS, are they not on
salary structure from the FIRS itself and is that the reason why
you are proposing the same in your 2021 budgetary projections?
”
Former Ebonyi State governor and Senator representing Ebonyi
North, Sam Egwu in his contribution said the arrangement was
awkward and should be discontinued.
” The N1billion being remitted to FIRS by your agency is
nauseating and must be stopped.
” If you don’t have enough men to collect the revenue for you,
carry out a recruitment exercise for that purpose. Why must you be
paying people who are already being taken care of elsewhere salary
wise?”
Senator representing Kogi West, Smart Adeyemi equally accused
the agency of financial recklessness and asked the Committee
chairman to direct them to give the Mallam Attah team marching
order.
“I’m disappointed by your very poor performance which is enough
to throw you out of the window.
” Mr Chairman, please give this man and the non-performing
agency marching order.”
Senator Kyari consequently asked the embattled FCT- IRS boss and
his team to take their leave while their proposals will be
thoroughly looked into.
But speaking with newsmen shortly after the session with the
Senate Committee on FCT, Mallam Attah justified the action of his
team in payment of staff of the FIRS as he attributed the success
of his agency to the FIRS.
“As far as I am concerned, we have improved from what we
met.
” For instance, in 2017 / 2018, when FIRS was fully in charge,
N50billion revenue was the total collection, which was increased to
N100billion in 2020 and even projected to be N130billion in
2021.”
*My action in order ― Attah
The Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory on
Thursday walked out the Management of the Federal Capital Territory
Internal Revenue Service ( FCT – IRS) from its Committee session at
the National Assembly.
The management team led by Mallam Abdullahi Attah had appeared
before the Senate Committee for approval of the N8.5billion 2021
budget proposal.
The Committee led by Senator representing Borno North, Abubakar
Kyari had raised eyebrow over N1billion planned remittance to the
Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS) from projected N100 billion
revenue generation in 2021.
The explanation offered by Mallam Attah that the proposed
remittance was for payment of salaries of 117 FIRS staff who are
collaborating with the agency angered virtually all the
Senators.
Attah had told the Committee that “out of the entire 130
operatives of the agency, 117 of them are from the FIRS who must be
taken care of.”
First to explain his disaffection was Senator Kyari who wondered
why the agency since its inception four years ago has not recruited
enough personnel to drive its revenue drive.
He said,” are you saying that the N1billion remitted to the FIRS
from the N50billion generated last year, was for payment of
salaries of the 117 FIRS? Being a staff of FIRS, are they not on
salary structure from the FIRS itself and is that the reason why
you are proposing the same in your 2021 budgetary projections?
”
Former Ebonyi State governor and Senator representing Ebonyi
North, Sam Egwu in his contribution said the arrangement was
awkward and should be discontinued.
” The N1billion being remitted to FIRS by your agency is
nauseating and must be stopped.
” If you don’t have enough men to collect the revenue for you,
carry out a recruitment exercise for that purpose. Why must you be
paying people who are already being taken care of elsewhere salary
wise?”
Senator representing Kogi West, Smart Adeyemi equally accused
the agency of financial recklessness and asked the Committee
chairman to direct them to give the Mallam Attah team marching
order.
“I’m disappointed by your very poor performance which is enough
to throw you out of the window.
” Mr Chairman, please give this man and the non-performing
agency marching order.”
Senator Kyari consequently asked the embattled FCT- IRS boss and
his team to take their leave while their proposals will be
thoroughly looked into.
But speaking with newsmen shortly after the session with the
Senate Committee on FCT, Mallam Attah justified the action of his
team in payment of staff of the FIRS as he attributed the success
of his agency to the FIRS.
“As far as I am concerned, we have improved from what we
met.
” For instance, in 2017 / 2018, when FIRS was fully in charge,
N50billion revenue was the total collection, which was increased to
N100billion in 2020 and even projected to be N130billion in
2021.”