Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Muhammad Mani, has rejigged the agency’s set-up, affecting about 50 directors of the service.
President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Mani as replacement for Babatunde Fowler last December.
Some officials told The Nation that Mani has been making new moves “to be able to meet the N8.5 trillion 2020 tax revenue target.”
Also affected are about 50 deputy directors, assistant directors and over 100 other employees who have either been transferred or have their portfolios swapped.
Executive Secretary of the Joint Tax Board (JTB), Oseni Elamah, has been replaced with Mohammed Abubakar, allegedly without another posting.
Elamah is said to have filed a pre-action notice against his removal.
FIRS has more than 10,000 employees. Among them, there are fears that more persons will be affected.
A source told the newspaper that the shake-up was Mani’s way of placing his trusted hands on key positions.
“The movements were a means of shaping FIRS along the lines Mani believes could fetch him the N8.5 trillion target.
“While some of the directors were said to have moved up in relevance and ranking, one senior management staff got a tacit boot away from the agency. A new director also joined the service,” the source was quoted saying.
Among those affected by the shake-up are a former Coordinating Director, Compliance Enforcement Group, Cyriacus Ekechi, who has been appointed the Transition Lead Compliance Support Group; the Director, Planning Reporting and Statistics, Aishiekh Maidugu, who is now Special Assistant, Special Duties to the Executive Chairman; and the Director, Debt Management, Femi Oluwaniyi, who is now Transition Lead, Domestic Taxes Group.
