This is contained in statement issued by Mr Mustapha Sumaila, the FCT-IRS Head of Corporate Communications, in Abuja on Sunday, July 2, 2023.
Sumaila said the training, which was focused on Tax Audit and Investigation, was conducted in line with the mandate of the service. According to him, FCT-IRS is estsblished to ensure steady increase in revenue generation in the FCT.
The Acting Chairman FCT-IRS, Mr Haruna Abdullahi, according to Sumaila, said capacity building remained a priority. Abdullahi said he would do everything possible to uphold it as it is one of the core objectives of the service.
He said the training could not have come at a better time, adding that efforts are geared at harmonising all revenue sources. He further said all would be done to centralise collection to the FCT-IRS, stressing that there is need to have skilled and equipped workforce to drive the process.
The acting chairman said the training would bring the total of trained personnel to 400, adding that 200 personnel were trained in 2022.
Abdullahi said tax officials required technical and verbal skills to effectively audit and interact with taxpayers, especially high network individuals and politically exposed persons.
“The responsibility of the service is critical to the success of the FCT administration.
“As such, skillful tax men are needed to rapidly grow the tax net especially now that expectations are high on revenue generating agencies,” he said.
The Director, Human Capital Management and Development, FCT-IRS, Mr Umar Jada, said the service would continue to partner with professional bodies like CITN. He said FCT-IRS always prioritised training and retraining of staff to improve service delivery, and achieve set goals and objectives of the service.