Reps rescind decision not to probe FIRS

The House of Representatives on Thursday rescinded earlier decision not to probe allegations of abuse, breach and violation of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 by the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.

The House however mandated the committee on Public Procurement to investigate the allegations and report back in six weeks for further legislative action.

The House resolution followed a motion sponsored by the Deputy Minority whip, Hon. Chukwuka Onyema entitled, “Rescission motion pursuant to order nine, rule 1 (6) of the standing orders of the House of Representatives: Need for investigation into allegations of abuse, breach and violation of public procurement Act, 2007 by the Federal Inland Revenue Service.”

It will be recalled that the House had on March 9 considered the motion entitled, “Urgent need for investigation into allegations of abuse, breach and violation of the public procurement Act, 2007 by the Federal Inland Revenue Service,” but the motion was ‘negatived’.

The Speaker had during his ruling on the motion on March 9 said that, the motion might be reconsidered if there are evidence that there was a breach as alleged by the mover of the motion.

But in his fresh evidence, Hon. Chukwuka Onyema claimed that, “On 7 December, 2016, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS awarded a contract to Active Solutions Integrated Synergy Limited, (ASISL) for the Deployment of Revenue Monitoring Solutions on Telecommunication Companies, specifically for International voice, Internet and other Value Added Network Service for the FIRS.”

According to him, “FIRS awarded the contract to ASISL notwithstanding the fact that the company was incorporated at the Corporate Affairs Commission on 2 December, 2016 just two working days before the award was made, which is indicative of the fact that the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and other subsidiary legislations were not complied with.”

He also alleged that, “the FIRS recently engaged the services of 100 tax consultants to conduct tax audit and assessment on companies in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, however, the engagement process was not made public and was not competitive as required by law.”

The motion was passed when it was put to vote by the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara.