By Emma Ujah
ABUJA — The Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, realised N21.7 trillion from  taxes in  the last 11 years, it was learnt, yesterday. FIRS made a total of N13.036 trillion from oil sources and another N7.53 trillion from non-oil taxes within the period under review

In the thank-you message, posted on the internet, yesterday, the service’s immediate Chairman, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, was full of thanks for multilateral agencies, members of the Study and Working Groups, her peers at the sub-regional and continental levels, with whom FIRS shares ideas, his c colleagues in the global tax body, Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators, tax authorities in the states for the successes she recorded in her tenure.

She noted that over 6, 000 FIRS staff enjoyed multicoated training during her tenure, several modernisation projects were embarked upon to position the service as a 21st Century agency.

Five of the nine bills including the Personal Income Tax Amendment Act and the Federal Inland Revenue Establishment Act FIRSEA 2007, presented to the National Assembly were also passed.

Said Okauru: “With respect to our core mandate of tax collection, tax revenue grew astronomically from slightly below N1.2 trillion (about $7.9bn) in 2004, to over N4.6 trillion (over $30bn) in 2011 (over four times the collection figure of 2004). Within the period, FIRS consistently surpassed the revenue targets set for the service.

The former FIRS boss said she was fulfilled having achieved the major landmark goals set for herself and her team when she was appointed, adding: “I have always regarded this journey as a relay in which my goal was to use my best effort to run my segment of the race. As I hand over the baton, I encourage you to continue the race and surpass all that has previously been achieved.

“It has been a long, interesting and challenging journey but through it all, commitment, courage and determination, coupled with the support received from far and near, got us all to this point.”

After the passage of the Federal Inland Revenue (Establishment) Act (FIRSEA) 2007, in April 2007, and as required by this new Act, Omoigui-Okauru was re-appointed first by President Olusegun Obasanjo and presented to the fifth Senate for confirmation just before the lapse of his administration but this was not concluded at the end of that Senate.

The late President Umaru Yar’Adua, at the onset of his administration, resubmitted her name to the sixth Senate in June 2007 for confirmation. The sixth Senate, under Senate President David Mark, confirmed her appointment as Executive Chairman for a four-year term on April 10, 2008.