Amid the controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bills in the National Assembly, the 36 State Governors, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, his Deputy, and other stakeholders in the tax industry have expressed their support for the bills, stating that the time for reform is now.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, speaking on behalf of the 36 State Governors during a Town Hall conversation aired by Channels Television, indicated that the Governors’ initial reservations about the bills might have been avoided if the Town Hall had taken place earlier.
He emphasized that the new formula for Value Added Tax (VAT) distribution, which attributes VAT to the place of supply and consumption, would have addressed their concerns.
Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform, clarified that the proposed tax reform aims to exempt the vulnerable from personal income tax and shift the burden to those earning up to N1.5 million annually. The reform also proposes a new VAT distribution model to ensure better equity and discourage states from administering VAT as a state tax.
Former Speaker Yakubu Dogara highlighted that the proposed tax reform could generate significant revenue for the Northern part of Nigeria from livestock and mineral resources. He urged Northern leaders to focus on leadership rather than regionalism or religiosity.
Mallam Buba Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer of Global Investment and Trade Company, described the reform bills as well envisioned for the revival of the nation’s economy through competitive revenue generation and distribution. He encouraged Nigerians, especially those from the North, to read the bills and understand their benefits.
Get instant and latest news updates via our WhatsApp Community, X/Twitter, or Google News online channel.