Exclusive: Fowler’s Ex-Aide, Abiodun Aina Writes Finance Minister, Seeks Power To Act As FIRS Ag. Chairman Despite Workers Protest

Exclusive: Fowler’s Ex-Aide, Abiodun Aina Writes Finance Minister, Seeks Power To Act As FIRS Ag. Chairman Despite Workers Protest

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Despite protest by Federal Inland Revenue Servive (FIRS) Workers Unions against his appointment as Acting Chairman pending Senate confirmation of Muhammad M. Nani, nominated by General Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Abiodun Aina, has written to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, seeking letter of authorisation to empower him to run the FIRS.

LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT

Abiodun Aina, who was said to have been appointed as Senior Special Assistant by the immediate past Chairman, Babatunde Fowler, is the FIRS Coordinating Director, Domestic Taxes Group.

Handing over of the running of the FIRS to him by Fowler, has generated protest from the workers unions.

In a letter dated December 10, 2019, with Reference Number FIRS/EC/CWFMF/5913/19/1500,
a copy of which was made available to WazobiaReporters, Abiodun Aina said: “Following the expiration of the tenure of Mr Babatunde Fowler, as the Executive Chairman, FIRS on the 9th of December, 2019 and the subsequent appointment of a new Executive Chairman by Mr. President, I write to inform you that Mr. Babatunde Fowler has handed over the leadership of the Service to me as the most senior Director in the Service in line with Mr. President’s Directive.

“In order to ensure that there is no disruption in the daily operations of the Service, particularly in view of its importance as revenue generation agency, I am hereby requesting a letter of authorisation which will empower me to carry out necessary operational functions pending the confirmation of K new Executive Chairman by the Senate. Attached herewith is a copy of the letter signifying the handover by Mr. Fowler for your ease of reference.”

It should be recalled that the Joint Union Council of FIRS held a emergency meeting at the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria secretariat on Tuesday, December 10, 2019, in which they rejected the handing over of the running of the FIRS to Abiodun Aina.

The unions claimed that Abiodun Aina lacked basic qualification (BSC or HND) to be employed into the service.

“Mr Abiodun Aina in the first instance, does not have the basic qualification/requirment (HND or BSc) to be employed into the service. Secondly, his appointment to the position of Coordinating Director was against the provision of Section 2.19 of FIRS Human Resource Policies and Processes which states as follows ‘Appointment to the post of Coordinating Director shall be made by the Board on recommendation of the Executive Chairman. The appointment shall be open to all confirmed Directors of the Service and it shall be competitive based on experience, competence and seniority’ as he was never a director in the Service rather a Senior Special Assistant to the Erstwhile Chairman of FIRS.”

The unions called of the Minister of Finance to in accordance with the Presidential Directive, ensure that the seniority list is followed in appointing the appropriate person to act, pending the assumption of office of the new Executive Chairman.

They went further to threaten that “If by the close of work on Friday 13th December 2019, no action us taken to this effect, union will no longer guaranty further industrial harmony in the system.”