The Federal Inland Revenue Service, is seeking the support of the National Assembly over speedy passage of subsisting tax laws and amendment to existing ones to enable it attain its medium term target of N23.039 trillion, it was learnt yesterday.
Ag. Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir M. Mashi said in Abuja yesterday that the FIRS will relish speedy passage of existing tax laws–the Petroleum Industry Bill before the National Assembly) and two tax bills that will be submitted to the National Assembly for review by December.
At the same event, Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Dr. AbdulMumini Jubrin, promised that the committee and the House will continue to give desired support to the FIRS –given its attainment in the last few years to enable it improve on the economic fortunes of the country.
He commended the FIRS for the advancement in the Service especially in manpower development and infrastructural changes.
Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Dr. Abdulmumini Jubrin, who led the Committee on oversight visit to the FIRS Headquarters in Abuja yesterday said the Committee would continue collaboration with FIRS to ensure that further reform efforts of the Service gets deserved attention in the National Assembly.
On FIRS Medium Term Plan, between 2012 and 2015, Mashi said, “In the next three years, particular attention would be on the following amongst others, where the assistance of the Legislature would be required: Review of Existing Tax Laws and enactment of relevant new Tax Laws, Review of FIRS (Establishment) Act and introduction of relevant regulations to effectively regulate it, Achieve a Medium Term Revenue Framework as projected: N4, 779.41 trillion in 2012, N5,456.79 trillion in 2013, N6, 060.23 trillion in 2014, N6,743.58 trillion in 2015”, he said.
As part of the FIRS Medium Term Plan 2012-2015, the Acting Executive Chairman of FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi said the Service plans to deliver the following ongoing projects soon, “Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) Project, (with specific focus on automation of all core tax operations processes; Integrated Human Resource, Payroll and Pension Management System (HRPPMS), known as SAP), Human Resource Re-Engineering, (with specific focus on introducing an Integrated Human Resource Management in FIRS); Finance and Accounts/Procurement, (with specific focus on automating the entire finance and accounts as well as the procurement processes within the Service}; and the Taxpayer Service Advocacy Program, (with specific focus on taxpayer enlightenment, education and assistance”).
Despite the milestones which FIRS has been to record within the past few years, Jubrin noted, the federal government still requires the FIRS to continue to aspire and achieve higher targets in order to improve sustainable funding in the country.
Said Jubrin: “For FIRS, every rational human being that has been following events in FIRS will know where FIRS was and he will also understand where the agency has been able to advance to. Let me use this opportunity to commend the immediate past Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs Ifueko Omoigui Okauru and the management of FIRS for leading reforms in the Service in many aspects including manpower and infrastructural development. Really, a lot has been achieved but we can always aspire to achieve more. There has to be continuity”, he said.
Referring to the operational blueprint of the Service which was presented by Mashi, the House Committee Chairman also said, “Whatever that has been raised in the presentation, back in the Committee we will put our heads together to ensure that they get accelerated passage in the National Assembly as far as they are in the best interest of the nation”.