The House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Accounts has asked the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Services, Muhammad Nami, to tender his resignation if he is not capable of discharging his responsibilities in the office.
The committee, which condemned Nami for failing to answer its invitation to an investigative hearing on Wednesday, summoned the FIRS boss to appear before it unfailingly on Thursday.
The lawmakers are probing ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government over alleged revenue leakages as reported by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation.
The FIRS boss was billed to appear before the committee over non-payment of taxes to the government by three foreign firms, Indorama Petrochemical, Indorama fertiliser and Petrochemical Limited and OIS Indorama Port Limited, but he sent a representation.
Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Abdullahi Abdulkadir, decried the absence of the FIRS boss at such an important hearing.
Representative of the FIRS boss, Mr Olusegun Olatunji, pleaded with the lawmakers on Nami’s behalf, attributing his absence to the lateness of the letter of invitation from the committee.
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The committee insisted that Nami must appear in person, while the lawmakers unanimously resolved that he appeared at 10am on Thursday, failing which he would be sanctioned in line with provisions of the constitution.
Chairman of the committee, Oluwole Oke, said, “This parliament is the symbol of democracy; we are the representatives of the people. If President Muhammadu Buhari can cause an appearance before the parliament whenever the needs be, why not his appointees? Enough is enough! If the FIRS boss cannot perform his constitutional responsibilities again, he should turn in his letter of resignation immediately.”
