FIRS, NIPOST in fisticuffs  over stamp duty mandate

Two federal agencies, the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigeria Postal Service, have descended into the arena  in bare knuckles over which agency has the mandate to collect stamp duty. While the NIPOST said on Twitter that FIRS was trying to snatch the mandate from it, FIRS countered and said it has exclusive mandate to collect all tax types.

Abdullahi Ahmad, the director of communication and liaison, FIRS, said in a statement that it has the mandate to collect all taxes on behalf of the federal government.

Maimuna Abubakar, NIPOST chair person, had on Sunday alleged FIRS of stealing the mandate of NIPOST by accepting payment for stamp duties.

FIRS responded by asserting its exclusive right to collect taxes for government.

The statement read, “Our attention was drawn to the tweet by Mrs. Abubakar. Her indecorous tweet would not have deserved any response but for the sensitive nature of the issue at stake, which if not sensibly treated and promptly corrected would likely mislead the public.

“To be sure, NIPOST is a government parastatal established by Decree 41 of 1992 with the function to develop, promote, and provide adequate and efficiently co-ordinated postal services at reasonable rates.

“This function is clearly contrary to the claim by NIPOST over the administration of stamp duties in Nigeria.

“It is therefore shocking to us that such a privileged young lady who happened to be appointed to high office would throw all caution to the air to cast aspersions on reputable public institutions like the National Assembly and FIRS, which she accused of stealing NIPOST idea.

“This, to say the least, is a preposterous claim and great disservice to the government and people of Nigeria.

“We wish to state categorically that, as an agency that operates within the ambit of the law, the FIRS is determined to not only ensure that all monies collected by NIPOST into its illegally operated Stamp Duties Account are fully remitted into the Federation Account but also make sure that any kobo not accounted for in that account is legally recovered in line with the charge of President Muhammadu Buhari to the recently inaugurated Inter-ministerial committee on the recovery of stamp duties from 2016 till date.

“In addition, anyone found culpable of misappropriating the funds in the said illegal NIPOST Stamp Duties Account would be made to face the law as provisioned by the country’s statute books.

“The public is hereby reminded that we at the FIRS are resolute in our resolve to safeguard national interests and not any personal ego or interest as NIPOST officials appear to carry on lately.

“We, therefore, call on right-thinking Nigerians to disregard that ill-advised tweet by Mrs. Maimuna Abubakar and allied misinformation being disseminated by NIPOST in relation to Stamp Duties collection, which by law is the responsibility of the FIRS.