The workers of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) have threatened to embark on Strike if Tunde Fowler hands over to Abiodun Aina Coordinating Director, Domestic Taxes Group.
President Buhari announced a Nominee Mohammed Nami, a renowned tax consultant to replace Fowler.
The immediate past FIRS boss has handed over to Aina pending the confirmation of Nami as the agency Chairman
However, the FIRS workers see this decision as a violation to the President’s directive and the establishment act.
According to them, Aina is not the highest ranking member of the agency. Also , he is not acknowledged a qualified Director who got to his position by working as a former Special Assistant to Fowler.
In a report addressed to the Minister of Finance, the aggrieved workers said, “The attention of the Joint Union Council of FIRS has been drawn to the handover of the chairmanship of FIRS on acting capacity to Mr Abiodun Aina on Monday December 9 2019.
This was a clear departure from the Presidential directive on the handover as he (Aina) is not the most senior director.
“Mr Abiodun Aina in the first instance does not have the basic qualifications to be employed into the Service. Secondly, his appointment to the position of Coordinating Director was against the provision of Section 2.19 of the FIRS Human Resource Policies and Processes.”
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The section states that “Appointment to the post of the Coordinating Director shall be made by the board on the recommendations of the executive chairman. The appointment shall be open to all confirmed directors of the Service and it shall be competitive based on experience, competence and seniority.”
“If by the close of work on Friday, 13th December, no action is taken to this effect, the union will no longer guarantee further industrial harmony in the system.”