Governor Mohammed Yahaya
By Ayo Kehinde
The Northern Governors Forum (NGF) has rejected the proposed Tax Reform Bill. This is, as they demanded equity and fairness in the implementation of all Federal Government programmes and policies.
President Bola Tinubu had on October 13, asked the National Assembly to consider and pass four tax reform bills – “Nigeria tax bill, tax Administration bill, and Joint Revenue Board establishment bill”.
Meeting in Kaduna on Monday, the governors frowned at the proposed amendment to the distribution of Value Added Tax (VAT) to Derivation-based Model, saying the bill is antithetical to the interests of the North and other sub-nationals.
They called on members of the National Assembly to oppose the bill that can jeopardise the well-being of their people.
In a communique read by the chairman of the forum and Governor of Gombe state, Mohammed Yahaya, the “Forum notes with dismay the content of the recent Tax Reform Bill that was forwarded to the National Assembly. The contents of the Bill are against the interests of the North and other subnationals, especially the proposed amendment to the distribution of Value Added Tax (VAT) to a Derivative-Based Model.
“This is because companies remit VAT using the location of their headquarters and tax office and not where the services and goods are consumed.
“In view of the foregoing, the Forum unanimously rejects the proposed Tax Amendments and calls on members of the National Assembly to oppose any bill that can jeopardise the well-being of our people.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the northern governors’ forum is not averse to any policies or programmes that will ensure the growth and development of the country.
“However, the forum calls for equity and fairness in the implementation of all national policies and programmes so as to ensure that no geopolitical zone is short-changed or marginalised.”
The governors appealed to all citizens to remain calm during the country’s current economic hardship, assuring that the state and federal governments are working on measures to cushion the effects of the hardship.
The forum also addressed persistent electricity blackouts across northern states, calling on the federal government and relevant agencies to urgently address issues caused by the vandalisation of electricity infrastructure.
The meeting was attended by governors from Zamfara, Borno, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kogi, Yobe, Gombe, Kaduna, Nasarawa and Kwara, while Kebbi, Taraba and Niger, were represented by their deputies and secretaries to their state governments (SSGs).
