The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, has refuted claims that the four tax bills currently before the National Assembly pose a threat to the operations of any government revenue-generating agency.
This was disclosed in a statement by Adeddeji, during a meeting in Abuja with the heads of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure the National Information Technology Development Agency, and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, where he described these concerns as unfounded.
He asserts that the bills would not undermine the work or existence of these agencies.
Adedeji also addressed speculation regarding the proposed renaming of the FIRS to the Nigeria Revenue Service, clarifying that it would not lead to the takeover of other federal agencies.
He reassured that the change in name would not impact the structure or responsibilities of these agencies, contrary to the widespread concerns.
He was quoted in the statement as saying, “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 in laying 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, ease compliance levels.
“The bills, when passed into law, will give various agencies the opportunity to focus on their respective functions rather than bothering about revenue collection.”
He also addressed concerns about the perceived reduction in agency roles, stating that the reforms were part of a broader strategy by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to harmonise Nigeria’s tax laws.
“The laws that set up these agencies, commissions, and boards have tax provisions embedded in them and these provisions must be implemented. So, when people carry out their constitutional roles as stipulated in their acts or laws, you can’t say what they are doing is illegal.
“So, in the wisdom of President Bola Tinubu, for us to overcome these problems, we should harmonise these laws scattered in different books. That is what the Nigeria tax bill means.
“For us to be competitive and be able to convince business people around the world that Nigeria should be their preferred investment destination, we have to do it in the best way,” Adedeji said.
