By Bassey Udo
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has rejected recent calls by the Arewa Consultative Youth Movement for its Chairman, Zacch Adedeji, to resign from office to allow for his alleged “extravagant lifestyle.”
The Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi, in reaction on Monday said the call was unwarranted as the group failed to identify any specific offence Mr Adedeji has committed that has violated his official code of conduct and ethics of public officers in his position.
Atoyebi, who described the call by the group “a sponsored campaign of calumny to tarnish the image of the FIRS Chairman”, said this was calculated to undermine the efforts of one of the most effective sectors of government working to deliver value, by helping generate revenue for government programmes to uplift the welfare of the people.
“The call by the Arewa Youth group is nothing, but a sponsored campaign of calumny against a resourceful, cerebrally adroit man who is helping navigate the Nigerian economy out of financial doldrums.
“The FIRS under Adedeji’s leadership has consistently met and exceeded its target every year for increased revenue generation through tax collection for the government. One wonders why anyone would want such a leadership out of office if not for selfish reasons”, Atoyebi said.
Besides, she credited Adedeji with surpassing revenue targets and improving staff welfare, which, she noted, had bolstered the morale of the workforce within the service.
She questioned why the group would choose to target “one of the most vibrant and working sectors of the economy that has consistently delivered value through its mandate,” noting that the FIRS under Adedeji had revitalised public revenue generation and reduced government dependence on borrowing.
Atoyebi highlighted several achievements attributed to the FIRS chairman, including critical reforms that have successfully plugged revenue leakages and strengthened the country’s progressive tax system.
She said that any attack on the Chairman of FIRS by any person or group at this time was effectively “an attack on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, given the central role of revenue mobilisation the FIRS is playing in the government’s overall economic agenda.
The Technical Assistant called for a proper investigation by the appropriate security agencies into the motives of the Arewa Youth group and their sponsors, describing them as enemies of state.”
She urged those who may have been misguided into the attack on Adedeji to retrace their steps and allow him to focus on his assignment, to complete the ongoing reforms in the sector without distractions, adding that “those desiring to take over the service from him should wait for him to run his term.”
