FIRS Chairman Pledges To Make A Difference

The newly appointed Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Muhammad Nami, assumed office on Thursday at the FIRS headquarters in Abuja.

Mr Nami, who was cleared by the National Assembly on Wednesday, convened the maiden meeting of the management and staff of the service, pledging to work with them to achieve President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda.

In his speech at the event, Mr Nami said he was overwhelmed by the warm reception by the staff despite the short notice.

He expressed the hope the workers will continue to give him their support by working together to build capacity and raise the revenue for the country.

In a message to the staff, Mr Nami said he owed his appointment as the Executive Chairman of FIRS to God, noting that he was aware of the enormity of the responsibility ahead him.

“This task, as enormous as it is, requires masterstroke measures, resilience in policy implementation and foresight to evolve novel ideas. I shall spare no effort to summon the courage to actualise this task. Most times, success is borne out of the will to endure hardship such as tax drive entails”, he said.

He told the staff that respite has come to them, especially to those who are hardworking and professional in their work.

“At this point, I want to enlist the support and cooperation of all staff in the task of lifting the economy of this country out of its present position. I want you to be rest assured that respite has come especially to the deserving hardworking and professionally competent members of the staff”, he added.

The outgoing acting chairman, Abiodun Aina, thanked the staff for cooperating with him during the period he held forth till the peaceful handover of the unified FIRS to the executive chairman.

“In the little time I held forth, I have seen that we have some little challenges with our mandate. This is the challenges that you have come to provide solutions to. I pledge my loyalty and the loyalty of my colleagues, and I believe that we are going to work together to achieve the mandate of the Service”, Mr Aina said.

In his message to the staff, Mr Nami said: “As I assume the mantle of leadership of this reputable organization, I want to say that I am very much aware of the enormity of the responsibility entrusted to me by fate and those who have confidence in my capacity to discharge it.

“I am equally aware that for too long, Nigeria’s economy has been in dire straits with attendant socio-economic challenges.

“It is as a result of these challenges that the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has been making strident efforts towards putting the economy back on the track.

“Part of these efforts is the administration’s attempt towards making tax revenue generation and collection the cornerstone of its economic recovery efforts. I therefore understand that my mandate is to facilitate the administration’s economic recovery drive through increased tax revenue generation by opening up new potential revenue sources.

“Nowhere in the world is success a product of complacency, prevarication, sentiment and whimsical armchair criticism. Success is not a function of being visible on the social media platforms, or being ungainly garrulous.

“Success is a function of teamwork and circumspection. There is no doubt that the appropriation of cutting-edge technology in the service of revenue collection and tax administration is key to enhancing revenue generation.

“I want to assure you that I shall endeavour to make a difference and improve on what we currently have in operation,” he said.

He urged the staff to support and cooperate with his administration in the task of lifting the economy of this country out of its present position.

The new chairman said he wants all to give their maximum cooperation, support and understanding by being committed and devoted to duty to ensure succeed.

“With the cooperation of all as well as the determination that I have, I am very positive that we shall surely succeed”, he said.