Economic Confidential

When he was named as the acting Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) by the Federal Government, many were not surprised especially the insiders and stakeholders in tax system because he had been actively involved in the formulation of policies and administration on revenue generation in the country.

The appointment of Alhaji Kabir Mashi, according to findings by the Economic Confidential is due to his past working experiences and the fact that he was the most senior director at the Revenue House Abuja, the Headquarters of FIRS. Since his promotion to the acting Chief Executive Officer of the agency, he has not only sustained and continued the laudable programmes and styles of his predecessor, Mrs Omoigui-Okauru but has ensured an improvement in the service delivery.

Realizing that taxation is the most dependable source of income for development in Nigeria after the crude oil revenue, Alhaji Mashi recently disclosed that the agency had a new plan to generate as much as N5 trillion before the end of year 2012 so as to put more revenue to the tiers of governments and to implement the transformation agenda programmes of the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He believes in the commitment of dedicated staffs of the agency to explore all avenues available to meet the set target of N5 trillion since they were able to collect N1.17 trillion in the first quarter of the year against the N1.27 trillion set target. He therefore calls on the staff to bring their technical know-how to bear in actualizing the goals.

A graduate of the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with a Masters degree in Business Management from Knightbridge University, United Kingdom, Alhaji Mashi is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) and Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN).

The acting Chairman of FIRS who was born in Katsina State had varied working experience in accounting and taxation. He was Internal Auditor Kaduna State Water Board 1984; Chief Accountant Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board 1988 and Director Finance and Supplies Governors’ Office Katsina State 1990.

In the area of taxation he was appointed Director, Board of Internal Revenue, Katsina State 1991; Chairman Katsina State Board of Internal Revenue and a former member of a Federal Government Committee on Review of Taxes and Levies collectable by the three tiers of Government (Decree No 21 of 1998) and member of the Study Group on Nigerian Tax System led by Professor Dotun Phillips about a decade ago.

For the staffs of FIRS, having an insider in the helm of affairs is reawakening dream of aspiration that with hard work and commitment one could rise to the top. Therefore, motivating the staffs to double their efforts could not be a herculean task because of the tremendous goodwill he has among the management and non-management staff. While the former Chairman FIRS, Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, at a recent get-together eulogized the humble and human nature of the Alhaji Mashi, the Coordinating Director, Tax Operations Group of the Agency, Samuel Ogungbesan who had known him for over a decade said Mashi is a man that fights for the people and well experienced in taxation.

The Coordinating Director Corporate Development Group, Osy Chuke, said Alhaji Mashi is a quiet, cool, and calm individual. He said in his interactions with him over the years, has demonstrated a high level of humility and responsibility.

The Director, Human Capital Management, Mr. Victor Ekundayo, commended Alhaji Mashi’s attitude towards staff. Stressing that he (Mashi) never tolerates anyone who denies staff their entitlement. This assertion was collaborated by the Chairman Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, (ASCN), FIRS Chapter, John Eliagwuwho appreciated how Mashi has been helpful to staffs and the Union.