Youth council commends FIRS reforms, defends service budget

The National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, has described reports criticising the proposed 2022 expenditure of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as undermining the tax agency that was responsible for national revenue collections.

National President of the NYCN, Comrade Solomon Adodo, who stated this at a press conference in Abuja, expressed worry over the publication of the proposed expenditure of the service.

Adodo said that NYCN will not fold its hands to watch individuals or corporate organisations drag the FIRS and its well-intended programmes, aimed at salvaging the country’s economy, to the mud.

“NYCN can not sit back and watch the national tax administration and the well-intentioned programmes of the FIRS be dragged into the mud, especially if viewed against the backdrop of the fact that the agency mobilises revenue for our Commonwealth, thereby contributing to our national economic development as well as the well-being of ordinary Nigerians generally,” he said.

Recall that a Newspaper report of October 17, 2021, had in a banner headline christened “FIRS to spend N2.8bn on uniforms, N550m on meals, Board members to earn N370m sitting allowance,” provided a detailed analysis of the proposed expenditure of the agency.

The report, which did not go down well with the FIRS in view of the fact that it was only a proposed budget, noted that the tax body budgeted about N550m for refreshments and N200m for sporting activities.

“The FIRS, which is one of the highest revenue-generating government bodies, set aside N262.5m for security votes while N17.8bn would be spent on “miscellaneous” expenses,” it said.

According to the youth council, “any discerning mind would see that the said budget estimate is a proposed expenditure that would eventually pass through the eagle eyes of the National Assembly for rigorous scrutiny.”

“Even though the official response of the FIRS to that publication has put to rest all misconceptions, and addressed the obvious political mischief intended by the vexatious publication, we feel inclined to add our voices to the issue if only to finally nail the coffin,” Adodo stated.

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