Fowler becomes new FIRS chairman as Buhari appoints Gusau as DG budget office

President Muhammadu Buhari has made two key appointments into the nation’s critical state agency for financial management.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina obtained on Thursday; the President has approved the appointment of Dr. William Babatunde Fowler as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Adesina also stated that President Buhari has also appointed Mr.  Aliyu Yahaya Gusau as the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation.

Until recently, Fowler was the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue. He was in office between 2005 and 2014.

The presidential spokesman stated that while the appointment of Fowler, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and California State University is subject to the confirmation of the National Assembly that of Gusau was without recourse to the Senate.

Reeling out the credentials of Fowler, Adesina wrote, “Before joining the service of the Lagos State Government, Dr. Fowler worked in the banking sector for about 20 years with long stints at Credit Lyonnais Nigeria Limited and Chartered Bank.

“Under his leadership, the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue reportedly achieved a sharp increase in internally generated revenue from an average of N3.6. billion per month in January 2006, to an average of about N20.5 billion per month in 2013.”

On the new DG Budget Office, he wrote, “Mr. Gusau’s appointment is with effect from August 18, 2015 and is for a term of four years, renewable for another four years, unless he attains the retirement age of 60 years or completes 35 years of pensionable service.”