FIRS, NIPOST fight dirty over stamp duty

Two revenue agencies of the Federal government, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) have hold no bar over the right to the collection of stamp duty.

The Board Chairman of NIPOST, Maimuna Abubakar,  called out FIRS on Twitter, saying the revenue agency has ‘hijacked’ NIPOST’s duty by ‘selling stamp instead of buying from us…’

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Abubakar argued that NIPOST is the sole custodians of national stamps adding that any other agency “printing and selling stamps is against the law of the land.

“FIRS did not only steal our stamps but also our ideas, what NIPOST had worked for since 2016, our documents, patent and sneaked everything into finance bill and tactically removed the name of NIPOST #justicefornipost.

“There is no where in FIRS act or stamp duty act where it’s so stated that FIRS can produce stamp or sale stamp #justicefornipost..”

I am worried for NIPOST, having sleepless night because of NIPOST, we need the general public to come to our aid, FIRS stole our mandate..#justicefornipost

— Maimuna Abubakar (@ref_ng) August 2, 2020

Responding to the allegation, FIRS, through its Director, Communication and Liaison, Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad said the NIPOST Chairman could not differentiate between stamp duty and postage stamp.

“We appreciate the general public for demonstrating deep knowledge of the difference between Stamp Duty and Postage Stamp. It is unfortunate that Mrs. Maimuna Abubakar, Chairperson of the NIPOST Board is yet to understand this.

“Our attention was drawn to the tweet by Mrs. Abubakar. Her indecorous tweet would not have deserved any response but for the sensitive nature of the issue at stake, which if not sensibly treated and promptly corrected would likely mislead the public.

“To be sure, NIPOST is a government parastatal established by Decree 41 of 1992 with the function to *develop, promote, and provide adequate and efficiently co-ordinated postal services at reasonable rates* .

THAT VEXED NIPOST TWEET BY MRS. MAIMUNA ABUBAKAR
We appreciate the general public for demonstrating deep knowledge of the difference between Stamp Duty and Postage Stamp. It is unfortunate that Mrs. Maimuna Abubakar, Chairperson of the NIPOST Board is yet to understand this.

— Federal Inland Revenue Service NG (@FIRSNigeria) August 4, 2020

“This function is clearly contrary to the claim by NIPOST over the administration of stamp duties in Nigeria.

On the other hand, the FIRS is the sole agency of got charged with the responsibility of *assessing, collecting, and accounting for all tax types including Stamp Duties*

“It is therefore shocking to us that such a privileged young lady who happened to be appointed to high office would throw all caution to the air to cast aspersions on reputable public institutions like the National Assembly and FIRS, which she accused of stealing NIPOST idea.

“This, to say the least, is a preposterous claim and great disservice to the government and people of Nigeria.

“We wish to state categorically that, as an agency which operates within the ambit of the law…

“The FIRS is determined to not only ensure that all monies collected by NIPOST into its illegally operated Stamp Duties Account are fully remitted into the Federation Account but also make sure that any kobo not accounted for in that account is legally recovered…

“In line with the charge of President Muhammadu Buhari to the recently inaugurated Inter-ministerial committee on the recovery of stamp duties from 2016 till date.

“In addition, anyone found culpable of misappropriating the funds in the said illegal NIPOST Stamp Duties Account would be made to face the law as provisioned by the country’s statute books.

“The public is hereby reminded that we at the FIRS are resolute in our resolve to safeguard national interests and not any personal ego or interest as NIPOST officials appear to carry on lately.

“We therefore call on right-thinking Nigerians to disregard that ill-advised tweet by  Mrs. Maimuna Abubakar and allied misinformation being disseminated by NIPOST in relation to Stamp Duties collection, which by law is the responsibility of the FIRS,” the statement read.