FIRS Staff Threaten Showdown As Fowler Handover to ‘Personal Aide’

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, December 11th, 2019

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Joint Union Council of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) has criticized decision by the immediate past Chairman of the tax agency, Mr Babatunde Fowler to hand over to a Director, Mr. Abiodun Aina.

The body made this known Tuesday at the end of its emergency meeting held at the Association of Civil Servants’ secretariat in Abuja.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the workers argued that Aina who is a Coordinating Director, Domestic Taxes Group is not the most senior officer at the FIRS, therefore, Mr Fowler’s action violated the presidential directive on the handover.

The communiqué which was signed by 17 senior officials of the union was sent to the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; read in part: “The attention of the Joint Union Council of FIRS has been drawn to the handover of the chairmanship of FIRS on acting capacity to Mr Abiodun Aina on Monday December 9 2019.

“This was a clear departure from the Presidential directive on the handover as he (Aina) is not the most senior director.

“Mr Abiodun Aina in the first instance does not have the basic qualifications to be employed into the Service. Secondly, his appointment to the position of Coordinating Director was against the provision of Section 2.19 of the FIRS Human Resource Policies and Processes.”

“Appointment to the post of the Coordinating Director shall be made by the board on the recommendations of the executive chairman. The appointment shall be open to all confirmed directors of the Service and it shall be competitive based on experience, competence and seniority.”

The union also contended that Mr Aina was not a director in the Service, noting that he was a Senior Special Assistant to Fowler.

.Consequently, the union threatened: “If by the close of work on Friday, 13th December, no action is taken to this effect, the union will no longer guarantee further industrial harmony in the system.”

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari Monday announced a tax collection Consultant, Mr Muhammad Lima as the new FIRS boss. Fowler’s tenure expired the same day – Monday, December 9, 2019.

Further to this, the President constituted new Board of the agency and has written the Senate seeking its approval to confirm Liman’s nomination.