From all indications, the ongoing credibility Crisis between the Managements of Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) and that of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is far from winding-up, as NIPOST urged the general public to disregard the statement credited to the Director, Communication and Liaison, FIRS on the issue.
Recall, the FIRS in response to a tweet by Mrs. Maimuna Abubakar, Chairperson of the Board of NIPOST said, it was more than ever “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.”
TheFact Nigeria reports that Mrs. Maimuna Abubakar’s tweet was quoted to have accused the National Assembly and FIRS of stealing NIPOST idea; the claim the FIRS described as preposterous and great disservice to the government and people of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, in a statement released today, Sunday, August 9, 2020 by The General Manager, Corporate Communications, NIPOST, Franklin Alao said, the account the Director of Communications, FIRS made reference to as “illegal” was opened by the Central Bank of Nigeria under the Treasury Single Account (TSA) in consultation with the office of Accountant General of the Federation, in the name of NIPOST Stamp Duties Collection Account when CBN gave instruction to Deposit Money Banks (DMB) to commence the deduction of #50 stamp duties from bank customers accounts.
The statement said, “the account belongs to the Federation and NIPOST does not have access to whatsoever monies lodged into the account, as such the question of illegality and misappropriation does not arise.
“NIPOST wishes to reinstate that under the extant laws of Nigeria to wit NIPOST Act 2004 provides and vest solely in NIPOST the power to print adhesive postage stamps, which is the instrument for denoting documents and other transaction instruments in compliance with the provisions of the Stamp Duties Act.
“Historically, the Post in Nigeria, just like in the comity of nations, has at different times produced adhesive postage stamps and revenue stamps for the Federal Government. It is to this end that NIPOST seeks the proper implementation of the Finance Act.
“NIPOST is therefore taken aback when FIRS took to the tweeter to call out the Chairman, NIPOST Board, Barrister Maimuna Yaya Abubakar, who only tried to bring the attention of the Service and public that NIPOST would be emasculated if the Act is not properly implemented.
“More so when there was a meeting between FIRS and NIPOST in July 2013 in the office of the Executive Chairman of FIRS and resolution reached that “NIPOST is statutory duty bound to provide the stamps to be used by FIRS at both federal and state levels”.
“We wish to reassure members of the public that NIPOST as a responsible government institution has always operated within the ambit of the law. We therefore urge the general public to disregard the statement credited to the Director, Communication and Liaison, FIRS on the issue,” the statement said.
