Nigeria: Customs, FIRS Bosses Have Done well for Economy, Say Northern Youths
Nigeria: Customs, FIRS Bosses Improved Economy, Say Northern Youths
Nigerian youths from the Northern part of the country, under the auspices of Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) have passed a confidence vote on the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Babatunde Fowler and Controller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (Rtd.)
They rose from an extraordinary meeting in Kaduna at the weekend and agreed that the duo of Ali and Fowler displayed ingenuity and uncommon devotion to duty by raising the non-oil revenues base in many folds through their agencies, which they said brought Nigeria out of the economic recession.
Recently, Ali of the Customs said Nigeria has received unparalleled revenue from the closure of Nigerian borders, which is his effort to control smuggling.
In FIRS, Fowler’s tax collection in 2018 which stood at N5.3 trillion was the highest tax receipts in the history of the West African country.
This is coming as the duo have been battling negative perceptions from various stakeholders who believe that the Customs and FIRS have become too aggressive towards revenue collection in the recent times.
But the Northern youths said Fowler and Ali have worked hard to restore Nigeria on the path of economic recovery.
Danlami said: “President Muhammadu Buhari was ushered in with a plethora of challenges principal of which was a steep and steady decline into a harsh economic recession.
“However, it is on record that the government breasted the tape of the challenge and worked the Nigerian economy out of recession in record time never seen before in the world over. This feat was achieved thanks to the commitment of some very innovative public servants at the helms of affairs of some of our MDAs.
“Thus, Arewa Youth Assembly is delighted at the masterful detailed attention being accorded by the administrators of these MDAs which has seen them spark to life with outstanding positive results.
“At the risk of sounding immodest, let it be placed on record that the achievement recorded by Mr. Babatunde Fowler and Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.) have achieved enviable records never seen before in Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) respectively since their creation.
“Mr. Fowler took over the reign of FIRS at a time our country was going through economic depression amidst dwindling oil revenues. It was his sheer ingenuity through the raise of non oil revenues base in many folds that brought out our country of the recession.
“Between 2016 to 2018 the non oil revenue collection grew by over One trillion naira (about 21%). This is a record first for our country at a time when there is a global shift away from oil revenues towards economic diversification in non oil sectors. It is well established fact that Mr. Fowler is an all time ambassador for Zero tolerance of corruption.
“Let’s use this medium as an organization to commend and pass a vote of confidence on the present FIRS management led ably led by Mr. Babatunde Fowler and NCS led by Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.) for raising the non oil revenues to an all time higher and for rising up to the occasion to reverse the then economic recession and steer our country’s economy to an era of boom and progress.
“These recorded progress can be linked to far reaching reforms introduced by Mr. Fowler in areas of regular and continuous taxpayers education, ICT innovation drive and taxpayers enlightenment amongst others. And on the other hand Col. Ali water tight policies on border security and duty tax on taxable items in line with his given task to reform, restructure and increase the revenue generation of the customs draws accolades within and outside our shores.
“Mr. Fowler and Col. Ali supervise a total turnaround of the economy to meet up the challenges of the moment by riding the 2 agencies of pervasive corruption and undue political meddlesomeness. We shall vigorously continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari consolidation agenda in the next four years of the current term and his worthy lieutenants.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he said.