By Ismaila Jimoh, Abuja
In a move aimed at enhancing tax compliance within the nation’s capital, the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service ( FCT-IRS) has said it is now ready to collaborate with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
The Acting Executive Chairman, FCT- IRS, Mr. Michael Ango made this known on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede at it Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, saying that the partnership was important because of the statutory roles of the two Agencies.
Ango stated that the engagement with the EFCC was in line with mandate of the FCT- IRS to collaborate with agencies such as EFCC towards improving tax compliance in the FCT.
He noted that one of the major initiatives of the FCT- IRS in 2025 is the harmonisation of revenue collection and administration in the territory and to do achieve this, the support and collaboration of all person and agencies such as EFCC would be required.
“This is to ensure that all revenue due to the FCT is collected and accounted for in a transparent manner and to enhance ease of doing business and improve revenue generation. This will further consolidate the massive infrastructural development in the FCT, by His Excellency, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike CON, Honourable Minister of the FCT, ” Ango explained.
In this regard, he also noted that most suspects being investigated by EFCC were not tax compliant and it would helpful if such persons were interrogated as to their tax status and require to fulfil their tax obligations as part of the investigation process.
The FCT-IRS boss stated that this approach could also be extended to forfeitures of assets or monies of suspects to the EFCC by the Courts.
“When suspects are being investigated or charged to Court, we would like to know, Mr Chairman their compliance level, if they escape from one door, we can catch them through
another door. We will therefore be happy to partner with you, like we are doing with your sister agency, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU)” he stated.
Ango condoled with the EFCC on the recent
lose of its operative and commended the EFCC Executive Chairman for the excellent work he and the Commission have been doing to tackle financial crimes in the country since he assumed duty as Chief Executive of the Commission.
In his remarks, the EFCC Executive Chairman,
Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede thanked the FCT-IRS chairman and his team for the visit and expressed willingness to partner with the Service to improve revenue collection in the FCT. Olukoyede said the Commission is in partnership with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and other State Internal Revenue Services
and therefore would be willing to partner with the FCT-IRS to shore up its collections.
He noted the need to have a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to highlight the specific areas of collaboration pointing out that such would further strengthen the relationship between the two organisations.
The EFCC Chairman further lauded the efforts of Mr. Michael Ango since his appointment as Acting Executive Chairman, adding that he has been keeping tabs with the achievements within the short period of time and also not surprised about the aggressive infrastructural development in the FCT carried out by the Honourable Minister of the FCT, which shows that taxpayer’s money is
judiciously used across the territory.
