By Adedapo Adesanya
For a better tax administration, there must be stronger relationships between Nigeria and development partners, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Mohammed Nami, has submitted.
Mr Nami, who is also the President of the Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators (CATA), was quoted as saying this in a statement issued by Mr Johannes Wojuola, Special Assistant to the Executive Chairman on Media and Communication.
The FIRS boss, during a visit to the Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) Secretariat at the United Kingdom’s Treasury House for a meeting on tax administration on Friday, was briefed on the governance structure of CATA and the current efforts by the association to serve the common interest of member nations.
He promised to achieve the short and long term goals and objectives of the association before his three-year tenure ends in 2024.
Mr Nami also held a bilateral meeting with Miss Antonia Strachey of the Public Finance and Tax Department, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), on issues of mutual benefit to the revenue authorities of both countries.
The FIRS boss was unanimously elected on October 12 by the 47 member countries of CATA at the association’s General Meeting as its 15th President.
CATA is an accredited associate of the Commonwealth, established in 1978 in London to promote the improvement of tax administration in all its aspects within the Commonwealth with particular emphasis on developing countries like Nigeria.
Mr Nami was accompanied by Mr Olufemi Olarinde, Nigeria’s CATA Country Correspondent, Mr Johannes Wojuola, and Mr Jibrin Salihu, Personal Assistant to the Executive Chairman.
The meeting was attended by UK Government Tax Authority representatives, including Ms Fiona Hay, Head, Capacity Building and International Relations, Mr Mahtab Hashim, Capacity Building Unit, and Ms Jasmine Taylor, Director, Senior Leadership Programme.
Dipo Olowookere