FIRS Denies Budgeting N17.8billion for Miscellaneous Expenses

• Federal Inland Revenue Service has faulted media report that stated N2.8 billion was budgeted for uniforms and N550 million on meals
• In a Facebook post, FIRS described the estimated budget report as a misrepresentation of facts, which is not widely available
• FIRS said it budgeted N11.36 billion for key administrative expenses for the whole year, and not N17.8 billion as claimed by online reports

The Federal Inland Revenue Service has denied a report made by another publication regarding its welfare budget submitted to the National Assembly for approval.

Punch newspaper had reported on Sunday that the tax administrator plans to spend N2.8 billion on uniforms and N550 million on meals, a statement that generated massive reactions from Nigeria.

But the FIRS has distanced itself from the publication's content, stating that the budget story is far from the truth, and the figures stated doesn't tally with its submission.

Read also

Exercise Books, Textbooks, other Print materials to Become more Costly as Cost of Paper Imports hit N1.23trn

FIRS side of the budget story

FIRS called on Nigerians to ignore the report, describing it as utterly misleading, as well as misrepresenting the facts. It also claimed that only the House Committee on Finance has the estimated budget draft.

The Federal tax agency said its not true that the total budget of the FIRS stands at N228 billion, but didn't give its figure. In the statement, it also clarified the mention of uniform, describing it as Corporate Outfit (Dressing Allowance) which is enjoyed by all the staff.

Part of the statement reads that the N17.8 billion indicated by Punch for miscellaneous expenses is grossly false, as the actual estimated amount is N11.36 billion.

Legit.ng understands this amount has been budgeted for key administrative expenses for the whole year, which includes over 500 operating offices that caters to 11,300 employees, clarity, medical expenses for FIRS workforce, publicity and adverts.

Read also

FG releases details of amount of money leaders, Nigerians spend on medical tourism yearly

Other functions meant for the amount are taxpayers education, workforce welfare packages & festivity allowance, corporate outfit grant, honorarium, sitting allowance for staff/stakeholders, postages & courier services, as well as sporting activities.

Nigeria's Tax Agency, FIRS, Changes Channel Used by Taxpayers to File Tax Returns

A channel, TaxPro-Max, was created by the Federal Inland Revenue Service for taxpayers filing naira-denominated tax returns. The agency said it is a bid to modernise the tax payment system.

Muhammad Nami, the executive chairman of the tax administrator, said the channel will enable taxpayers make all tax-related transactions on one portal.

But it was stated that manually, taxpayers should file their tax returns early to be able to upload and generate the mandatory document identity number.

Source: Legit.ng