Tax reforms committee confirms receipt of N5bn from ex-FIRS chairman

From Uche Usim, Abuja

The Chairman, Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, on Friday confirmed the receipt of N5 billion from the former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Muhammad Nami. Mr. Nami came under scathing attacks for allegedly approving N11 billion under suspicious circumstances after he was asked to proceed on retirement leave.

However, the ex-FIRS boss in a rebuttal, said he transferred N5 billion to the presidential committee through the Joint Tax Board two months before he left office and not after he left.

Nonetheless, Oyedele, via his X handle on Friday, said the money was for the “Data for Tax” project, which the JTB has spearheaded for over 24 months.

“The project was presented to the National Economic Council in 2022 and was meant to be funded by the Federal Government and the 36 states. However, it stalled due to lack of funds. Given the importance of the project to the effective reform of our tax system, it was included in the Committee’s budget”, Oyedele said.

He added that other expenses included in the committee’s budget, which has the approval of the National Assembly, include setting up of offices for the committee in Lagos and Abuja, payment of salaries for the full time staff engaged by the committee, travels and other logistics for over 70 members representing more than 40 institutions and stakeholder groups mapped to six different sub-committees, more than 30 secretariat personnel and over 40 students across the country.

“All the expenses of the committee are properly documented and available for audit. We collect receipts for fuel, stationery, and virtually every Naira that we spent to the extent possible. Over N4 billion of the said funds transferred by the FIRS to the JTB for the Committee’s work is yet to be spent and very much intact in the JTB account”, he noted.