Business
FIRS denies rumours of missing taxpayers’ money
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has dismissed reports that money paid as taxes is missing from the agency’s purse.
There were reports in some quarters of the media alleging that taxpayers’ money in the custody of the agency is missing.
The Chairman of the agency, Tunde Fowler, in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday explained that taxes collected by the FIRS were not paid into the coffers of the Service, but directly into the Federation Account, electronically, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
On the ongoing investigation of some staff of the agency by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the FIRS boss said anyone found guilty would be given to prosecution.
Fowler said: “On the DTA (Duty Tour Allowance), it is claimed that some staff applied for and were granted allowances to travel on official trips. Some are alleged not to have travelled for the number of days for which they were slated.
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‘’The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is looking into that. Sometimes, it is good to have a third party investigate matters like this instead of having a staff investigate another staff.
‘’An investigation by a third party is more objective. FIRS has since taken steps to remediate this. The EFCC will soon complete its investigation. Anybody found guilty will be dealt with through our administrative process.”
He added that the anti graft agency had been instrumental in the recovery of taxes.
“We have a relationship with the EFCC. We have a partnership through which we combat evasion of taxes. People don’t want to get into trouble with EFCC. So, they pay on time,” he said.
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