Northern CSOs back Tinubu’s tax reform bills

A coalition of civil society organizations, CSOs, from Northern Nigeria has backed President Bola Tinubu’s Tax Reforms Bills.

The tax reform bills include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024; the Tax Administration Bill; the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, meant to repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Act and create the Nigeria Revenue Service, NRS; and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.

Northern leaders, including traditional rulers and the Northern Governors Forum, NGF, are kicking against the tax reform bills, claiming they would impoverish the North.

However, the CSOs, comprising the Coalition of Northern Civil Society Groups, and Concerned Northern Professionals, endorsed the bills in a communique released after a town hall meeting in Abuja.

After deliberations, the CSOs resolved that the tax reforms will contribute to the development of Northern Nigeria.

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In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, co-signed by Dr. Fasasi A. Kazeem and Dr Opialu Opialu Fabian, the CSOs said the bills have the potential to revolutionize the national economy, bring an end to the era of liquidity crises, and promote a genuinely competitive environment for businesses to thrive.

Parts of the communique read, “We believe that the Tax Reforms Bills are in the overall interest of all sections of Nigeria.

“The bills have the potential to increase government revenue, reduce poverty, and promote economic growth and development.

“A critical and dispassionate perusal of the Tax Reform Bills reveals a commendable effort by President Tinubu to revolutionise the national economy, bring to an end the era of liquidity crises, and promote a genuinely competitive environment for businesses, irrespective of the sizes or structures, to enable them to thrive seamlessly and guarantee a country of prosperity.

“However, in appreciation of our disposition as a country, Nigerians are often polarized, when a big national decision is in the offing, not minding the gains and the laudable objectives. Here incidentally is the case of the Reform Bills, it has not been received with the natural sentiments.”

The CSOs, in the communique, acknowledged concerns raised by some stakeholders, including the Northern State Governors’ Forum. However, they argued that the bills are designed to promote fairness, equity, and justice in the distribution of revenue.

“We understand that there are concerns about the revenue-sharing formula, but we believe that the bills have taken into account the needs and interests of all sections of the country,” they stated.

The CSOs called for robust stakeholder engagement, public awareness and education on the provisions of the bills to ensure their acceptance and effective implementation.

“We urge the National Assembly to continue with the consideration of the bills, while also engaging with stakeholders to address any concerns they may have,” the communique added.

Newspot earlier reported that some experts from Northern Nigeria had, at the town hall meeting, thrown their weight behind the Tax Reform Bills, saying the proposed legislations would boost the economy of the North.

The Northern experts, who spoke as resource persons at the town hall meeting which was held in Abuja on Monday, refuted claims that the bills are anti-North.

Rather they stressed that the bills would aid the development of the region.