The chairman of the Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST), Maimuna Abubakar has cried out to Nigerians for help, alleging that the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS) has stolen the agency’s mandate.
It was gathered that the FIRS had recently released circular, saying it now has a portal for automated stamp duty collection where all stamp duty paying citizens, government agencies, institutions, and private organisations should log into and pay stamp duties.
The claim by FIRS was opposed by NIPOST which agency is the rightful custodian of stamp duty in Nigeria following the implementation of the Stamp Duty Act.
In a series of tweets on Sunday, Abubakar expressed worry over the ”take over” by FIRS, insisting that NIPOST is empowered to print, mint, produce, retail, and provide adhesive postage stamps.
The board chairman alleged that FIRS did not only steal NIPOST’s stamps but also its ideas. She asked the general public to intervene in the contention between both agencies.
“I am worried for NIPOST, having sleepless night because of NIPOST, we need the general public to come to our aid, FIRS stole our mandate,” the tweet read.
“FIRS are now selling stamps instead of buying from us. What is happening, are we expected to keep quite and let FIRS kill and bury NIPOST? We need to get our mandate back.
“NIPOST are the sole custodians of national stamps, another agency printing and selling stamps is against the law of the land.
“FIRS did not only steal our stamps but also our ideas, what NIPOST had worked for since 2016, our documents, patent and sneaked everything into finance bill and tactically removed the name of NIPOST.
“I like to make this clear, NIPOST is the only agency charged with the responsibility of producing adhesive stamps and revenue for the for the purchase of such stamp accrues to NIPOST
“There is no where in FIRS act or stamp duty act where it’s so stated that FIRS can produce stamp or sale stamp. Did you know that NIPOST had generated over 60b in NIPOST CBN account for the Federal Government?”
FIRS are now selling stamps instead of buying from us #justicefornipost
— Maimuna Abubakar (@ref_ng) August 2, 2020
NIPOST are the sole custodians of national stamps, another agency printing and selling stamps is against the law of the land #justicefornipost.
— Maimuna Abubakar (@ref_ng) August 2, 2020
I like to make this clear, NIPOST is the only agency charged with the responsibility of producing adhesive stamps and revenue for the for the purchase of such stamp accrues to NIPOST #justicefornipost
— Maimuna Abubakar (@ref_ng) August 2, 2020
Did you know that NIPOST had generated over 60b in NIPOST CBN account for the Federal Government? #justicefornipost
— Maimuna Abubakar (@ref_ng) August 2, 2020
This is coming just one week after NIPOST imposed new costs of licence for logistics and courier services, sparking outrage from Nigerians online.
Last week, FIRS had also directed landlords and property owners and agents to ensure that they charge 6% stamp duty on all tenant in Nigeria.
