BUHARI NAMES NAMI TO REPLACE FOWLER AS FIRS CHAIRMAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the composition of a new board for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), finally replacing Babatunde Fowler with Muhammadu Nami, as the new Chairman.

A statement issued by presidential media assistant, Garba Shehu, today noted that Fowler’s tenure expires same day and that his replacement by Nami, a tax consultant, is subject to Senate confirmation.

There had been speculations over whether Fowler would be nominated by the President for a second four-year tenure, especially he was recently queried by the Presidency over dwindling tax revenues.

Shehu’s statement added that the new board “is composed of a member representing each of the six geographical zones and statutory representatives from a select number of ministries and government agencies.

“Mr Muhammad, a well-trained Tax, Accounting and Management professional with highly rated qualifications and professional practice and licenses from relevant professional bodies, has almost three decades of practical working experience in Auditing, Tax Management and Advisory and Management services to clients in the banking, manufacturing, services and public sectors as well as non- profit organizations.

“He is an expert in rendering advisory support services to investors in respect of new business start-ups and management of existing businesses. He has also continuously rendered outsourced services to clients in trading, service and manufacturing sectors of the nation’s economy.

“Muhammad Nami attended Bayero University Kano and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology (1991) and a Masters of Business degree (2004) respectively.

“He is a fellow of Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Institute of Debt Recovery Practitioners of Nigeria and Associate Member of Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) and Association of National Accountants of Nigeria.

“He started his career with PFK in 1993 and rose to the position of a senior Consultant in charge of Tax management and advisory services. He is currently the managing consultant of Manam Professional Services (Chartered Tax Practitioners and Business Advisers) based in Kaduna, Abuja, Niger State.

“Mr Muhammad has served, and is still serving, on many companies’ Board and Statutory Board Audit Committees. He was appointed as a member, Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Stolen Assets in November, 2017 by President Buhari. He is married with children.

“Chairman of FIRS, Babatunde Fowler, whose term of office expired on Monday, 9th December, 2019 is expected to hand over to the most senior director on the board, who will take charge, pending the senate confirmation of the new board.”