It is not true that FIRS has been mandated to collect stamp duties- Minister

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Patami has debunked insinuations in some quarters that federal government has mandated Federal Inland Revenue Service to collect stamp duty.

The federal government is yet to take a decision on the controversy between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) over the collection of stamp duties, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami has disclosed.

Pantami dismissed reports that the FIRS had been mandated to collect stamp duties.

As at the last quarter of 2019, the federal government had generated over N45 billion from stamp duty, which is being kept in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Patanmi said: “I am a member of the Federal Executive Council, this issue has not been discussed at the council.

“It is not true that the federal government has decided that the FIRS should collect stamp duty.

“I have been at the Federal Executive Council and I know that it has not been agreed that FIRS should collect stamp duty,” Pantami said.

The Minister, who made the assertions at an interactive forum with reporters in Abuja at the weekend, said he had petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari on the injustices regarding moves by the FIRS to take over the functions of NIPOST.

According to him: ” As far as I am concerned, stamp duty should be collected by NIPOST, the same way the Nigerian Customs Service collect customs duties, The FIRS has been working on being the agency that collects stamp duty.

“It started before my appointment and I only got to know when the situation deteriorated.

“I intervened by informing Mr President that NIPOST should be the one to collect stamp duty. The Government we decide on this but we can advise appropriately.

“It is unfair for FIRS to gather some stakeholders without involving the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and thereafter released some information that the government had ceded the collection of stamp duty to it. It is not true.

“I have also written to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning conveying our stand on this matter to her”.