Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo has been sacked from his office as Chairman, Lagos Board of Internal Revenue and Chief Executive, Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS).
This was communicated in an internal memo, dated 26 August and signed by J. Aina, Board Secretary, which however labelled Ogunsanwo’s departure from the revenue-collection agency as “compulsory retirement.”. It stated that Ogunsanwo had handed over to Mrs. Akintola Bolaji, Director, Tax Audit.
Sahara Reporters however disclosed that Ogunsanwo’s exit was not news to staff of the Agency, as all indications had been gearing up towards that conclusion. According to their sources, upon resuming office, Ogunsanwo proclaimed that he would double the IGR of the State, but rather embarked on dismantling the structure left behind by his predecessor, Mr. Tunde Fowler, who was appointed Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). This included dismissal of top staff employed by Fowler.
The situation came to a head when Ogunsanwo could not explain how N4.2 billion was missing from the Agency’s coffers. This, according to Sahara Reporters, earned him a query from the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, who was not satisfied with Ogunsanwo’s reply and instructed Ogunsanwo to proceed on compulsory leave pending the conclusion of investigations into the unaccounted funds.
Sahara Reporters were also told that Ogunsanwo returned N1.2 billion of the missing sum during investigations, which placated Ambode and resulted in the dressing up of his sack as ‘compulsory retirement’.
Parts of this article originated from Sahara Reporters.
