A Northern group, Arewa Youth Forum (AYF), has commended Mr. Tunde Fowler, Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), for the sterling performance of the service, which it described as “unprecedented record in the history of tax administration in Nigeria”.
The group gave the commendation on Monday when members of its National Executive Council paid a courtesy visit to FIRS headquarters in Abuja.
The group listed the indices of the record performance as including the expansion of the country’s taxpayer base, inauguration of the new Taxpayer Identification Number Registration System and deployment of online solutions to ease tax payment.
AYF National President, Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, promised that the group will continue to support initiatives being implemented by the Service.
“It is on record that from your appointment till date, and with the support of your hardworking Management team and staff, Mr. Fowler has, among other things, achieved the expansion of our national tax base from 10 million to 20 million with a potential increase to 45 million; increase States’ Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by over 46.11 percent from N800bn in 2016 to N1.16 trillion in 2018”, Gunjugu said.
He added that for the first time in history, the Federal Government paid all 15 years outstanding PAYE tax liabilities to MDAs and the country moved up positively by 25 points in tax administration section of World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business.
He also noted that the FIRS achieved a record collection of N5.32 trillion in 2018, during which non-oil revenue accounted for almost 54 per cent of total revenue collection.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
