'We received 700,000 applications for 500 FIRS jobs,' says Fowler

dimeji akinloye

November 2, 2016 10:42 PM

The tons of applications followed media adverts placed by the FIRS, where it announced vacancy for various positions.

The Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr

The Service had invited applications for various positions in series of adverts placed in some national dailies.

Fowler said this in Abuja on Wednesday, November 2, when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition.

His appearance at the lower chamber followed a petition from some applicants, who claimed to have been excluded from the employment processes.

Fowler said that out of the 700,000 applicants, more than 2,000 had first class degrees in various disciplines and were qualified to be engaged by the Service.

He said that FIRS would recruit only 500 people, adding that the exercise was designed to increase manpower for tax revenue collection and expand the country’s revenue base.

ALSO READ: FIRS targets N4.9 trillion tax revenue in 2016

He assured that the organisation will ensure fairness and due process in the recruitment process.

"We have secured waiver and endorsement from the Federal Character Commission in order to ensure that the right thing is done," Fowler said.

In his remarks, Chairman of the house committee, Mr Nkem Abonta, directed Fowler to submit to the committee the service’s nominal roll to assist it in arriving at a decision.

dimeji akinloye