January 30, 2019

The Laws and Rights Awareness Initiative has, through its trustees, brought an action against the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court. In the suit, the Laws and Rights Awareness Initiative is challenging the power of the FIRS to provide commercial sponsorship or support to entertainment concerts and shows. In the originating summons filed by their counsel, Olumide Babalola and Mofesomo Tayo-Oyetibo. The Initiative alleges that the FIRS has been sponsoring and supporting entertainment events and concerts such as the Festival of Lights, Davido Live in Concert and King Coal in Concert when it has no power to do so under the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act, as a result of which it has acted beyond the scope of its powers under the Act. The reliefs sought in the Originating Summons include a declaration of the Federal High Court that it is ultra vires the FIRS and unlawful for it to defray any money towards the sponsorship or any other form of support howsoever called, of concerts, entertainment shows or any other event howsoever called, which are not stipulated as part of the statutory expenditure of the FIRS under section 16 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act. The Initiative also seeks an Order of injunction restraining the FIRS from defraying any amount towards any event not mentioned in section 16 of the Act or any other Act of the National Assembly. The FIRS is yet to file a defence to the action. Source: Guardian

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has approved the name for non-governmental organisation called Edubox International Foundation. Founder of the foundation, Tosin Sanusi said the aim of the NGO is to help position Nigerian students and youths to become relevant to the country and the entire world by supporting their academics and empowering them with the requisite skills needed for national growth. “We hope the NGO will ensure students further their education without financial constraints and also serve as a centre for skills acquisition for youth,” Sanusi said. Sanusi further noted that the foundation would provide a platform of sponsorship for destitute students who are intelligent and can’t afford education. According to him, the proposed trustees for the foundation shall be Mr. Kelvin David; Mr. Sanusi Tosin Moses; Igwe Hephzibah Adaeze; Nwaigwe Marilyn Chinwe; Joshua Christian Amuzie and Mr. Hassan Ahmed Adekunle. Meanwhile, the CAC said technology has played a pivotal role in streamlining the inter agency partnerships between them and other government agencies. The Acting Registrar-General of the commission, Azuka Azinge, told stakeholders in Abuja at the Technology As A Catalyst: Ease of Doing Business 2018 Conference. Azuka Azinge, Acting Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), extol the benefits of using technology in running the commission.  According to her, technology has made it possible for applicants to do their company registration online without coming to CAC office. “Technology has made it possible for the commission to run 24 hours registration, which they were not doing before and online payment is now available at the commission because of technology. Technology has changed the face of how we do business now,” Azinge noted. Source: Pulse