The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has dismissed reports that the chairman of its staff union was detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) over disagreements surrounding the agency’s promotion exercise.
The agency clarified that the DSS only invited representatives of its management and staff union for a meeting to address the dispute, insisting that nobody was arrested, detained or intimidated during the engagement.
LIRS Head of Corporate Communications, Monsurat Amasa-Oyelude, made the clarification while reacting to media reports suggesting growing tension between the agency’s management and employees over promotion-related issues.
She accused some media organisations of presenting a misleading account of the incident, saying the meeting was an opportunity for both sides to discuss their differences.
According to her, representatives of the management and the union were invited to the DSS office, where the matter was discussed before both parties were directed to maintain the existing arrangement.
Amasa-Oyelude maintained that describing the meeting as an incident of detention or intimidation was inaccurate and did not reflect what actually happened.
She also rejected suggestions that the agency had neglected its workers, stressing that employees’ welfare, career progression and professional development remained important to its management.
The spokesperson disclosed that LIRS currently has approximately 2,800 employees, whose contributions have played a major role in improving the agency’s revenue generation and operational performance.
She explained that the organisation regularly invests in staff training and capacity development, while promotion opportunities are determined by merit, competence and individual performance.
Amasa-Oyelude added that the agency recognised the contributions of its workforce and remained committed to providing an environment where employees could grow professionally.
She further assured workers that management was willing to maintain discussions with recognised staff representatives to resolve disagreements and promote a peaceful working environment.
The controversy surrounding the promotion exercise has drawn attention to the relationship between LIRS management and its employees. However, the agency insisted that the DSS meeting should not be interpreted as evidence of a breakdown in industrial relations.
LIRS said it would continue to address workers’ concerns through established channels while maintaining its focus on employee development, improved revenue collection and efficient service delivery.
