Workers of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) on Thursday staged a protest over the planned takeover of the collection of stamp duties by the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
The protest which held over one hour at the Ministry of Finance, Abuja was led by the workers and the leadership of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government owned Companies.
The current amendment of the Stamp Duty Act by the National Assembly according to the workers Union is being done to allow the FIRS to be the agency collecting stamp duty on electronic transactions.
“We have heard that the Ministers say stamp duty is a form of tax and therefore should be collected by the FIRS,” General Secretary of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Dr Ayo Olorunfemi, who led the protesters, said.
“And we wonder whether FIRS will take over the responsibility of Nigerian customs because they are collecting import duties,” he added.
On her part, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed said talks are still ongoing.
She, however, asked the protesting workers to submit a position paper on the issue.
