FIRS’ CHAIRMANSHIP: A CRY AGAINST INJUSTICE Written by Nwobodo Chidiebere “An injustice done anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” ---Dr. Martin Luther King, Jnr. The heroic statement of Dr King was exemplified by the courageous words of the late human right activist, Gani Fahawemi, when he said: “Silence in the face of injustice is a crime.” There is no better time to draw lessons from the words of these great men than now when the peace and unity of Nigeria are in a fragile state, because justice was made for the sake of peace not peace for the sake of justice. Ever since the exit of its former result-oriented and award-winning chairperson, Mrs Ifueko Omogui-Okauru, whom I described in my previous article as an embodiment of excellence because of her record-breaking achievements in office, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has not been the same again due to politics and intrigues that have characterized the appointment of its substantive chairman. Mrs Omogui-Okauru handed over the baton of leadership of the nation’s highest non-oil revenue generating institution to Alhaji Kabir Mashi, who happens to be the most senior in the hierarchy of the tax office. For almost two years now, Alhaji Kabir Mashi has been running this important organization in acting capacity, but some of the thought-provoking questions raging in the minds of Nigerians whose sense of reasoning is devoid of ethnic and religious sentiments are: what on earth is still holding President Goodluck Jonathan from approving Mashi’s appointment as the substantive chairman of FIRS? Within few months in office, Alhaji Kabir Mashi initiated a lot of reforms in FIRS which culminated in the generation of almost five trillion naira last year alone through the blockage of all the ‘leak holes’ in the organization. With all these reforms and achievements speaking for him, what type of super-human is the Minister of Finance Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala preparing to take over from this hardworking man? Who is behind the grand plan to take away the post from Kabir Mashi, who happens to be the most qualified person for the job because of his years of experience in the organization? Can it be said that Alhaji Kabir Mashi has been caught up in the cold war raging between the North and South? I am from the south-east geo-political zone of this country, but that does not mean we should turn a blind eye when someone from another part of the country is being marginalized, because an injustice done anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere; be it North, South, East or West. In the spirit of justice and fair-ness, Alhaji Kabir Mashi should be immediately confirmed as the substantive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service not only to promote competence but to ensure equity. Basedon his antecedents, experience and qualifications, Alhaji Kabir Mashi has all it takes to reform and transform FIRS into a viable and profitable 21st century revenue generating agency which will help in driving the transformational train of this administration. At this critical time when every oil-producing nation is working hard to diversify its economy from oil, the chairmanship position of FIRS is too strategic to Nigeria’s economy to be a victim of political horse-trading and contest of interests. Nwobodo Chidiebere (chidieberenwobodo@yahoo)
Posted on: Sun, 18 Aug 2013 21:23:39 +0000
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