The Federal Inland Revenue Service Executive Chairman, Zacch Adedeji has called for strengthening the existing symbiotic relationship between the service and the Armed Forces in the country.
Adedeji made the call on Tuesday when he received the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa and his team of Generals at the Revenue House in Abuja.
A statement from Dare Adekanmbi, Special Adviser on Media to the FIRS chairman, quoted Adedeji as saying that prosperity and development will be challenging to achieve in an insecure environment.
“A lot of people will ask: what is the relationship between the Armed Forces and the FIRS?
“What you will hear President Bola Tinubu say at all times is that we will not tax the seeds but the fruits from them. This means when we plant the seeds, we water it to grow.
“The Armed Forces personnel are the people who help us to guide the vineyard where the seeds are planted, especially in the oil and gas industry. They make it possible for us to go into the vineyards to pluck the fruits.
“Without you, we will not have the right fruits. If there is no security, there is no way prosperity can happen. We are interested in prosperity because that is what we want to tax.
“So, there is a symbiotic relationship between the Armed Forces and FIRS. We don’t take this relationship for granted. When companies don’t run due to insecurity, they will not make profits; when they don’t, there will be nothing to tax.
“That is why the welfare of members of the Armed Forces and security operatives in general is number one on the agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“It is when we have security that prosperity can come, and it is when there is prosperity that we will have the revenue to give to the federation,” Adedeji told General Musa.
Earlier, the Chief of Defence Staff had pledged the support of the military to FIRS in its operations and determination to make available the needed revenue for government services.
“The more FIRS succeeds; the more Nigeria benefits from the institution. So, FIRS is crucial to the government, us as members of the Armed Forces and the country.
“We are also here to show our commitment to ensuring that we give you all support whenever it is needed so you can do your job without any harassment or intimidation from any quarters.
“FIRS is able to raise funds for the federation. We know the importance of taxation and how it brings development. We are beginning to have awareness from members of the public who now realise that the taxes they pay are important for the country’s development,” General Musa said.
