Presidency queries FIRS boss, Fowler, over persistent revenue shortfall

The Presidency has queried Babatunde Fowler, the executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), over shortfalls in revenue collection since the inception of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The presidency complained that there had been significant variances between the budgeted revenue collections and the actual collections from 2015 to 2018.

Fowler was also directed to explain why actual revenue collections between 2015 and 2017 were significantly worse than what was collected between 2012 and 2014.

In a letter titled ‘Re: Budgeted FIRS Collections and Actual Collections,’ which was signed by Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the president, and addressed to Fowler, the FIRS boss was directed to submit a comprehensive variance analysis, explaining the reasons for the variances in revenue collections during the period under review.

The presidency also directed Fowler to submit his explanations on these issues by today.

Part of the letter, which was dated August 8, 2019, and with reference number: SH/COS/08/5/A/301, reads: “Your attached letter (FIRS/EC/CWP/0249/19/017 dated July 26, 2019) on the above subject matter, refers.

“We observed significant variances between the budgeted collections and actual collections for the period 2015 to 2018. Accordingly, you are kindly invited to submit a comprehensive variance analysis, explaining the reasons for the variances between the budgeted and actual collections for each main tax item for each of the years 2015 to 2018.

“Furthermore, we observed that the actual collections for the period 2015 to 2017 were significantly worse than what was collected between 2012 and 2014. Accordingly, you are kindly invited to explain the reasons for the poor collections. You are kindly invited to respond by August 19, 2019.”