Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said that northern states of the country would not be able to pay workers’ salaries if the proposed Tax Reform Bills the presidency submitted to the National Assembly for consideration were implemented.
LEADERSHIP Friday reports that the presidency had submitted four bills under tax reform to the National Assembly for necessary legislative action. The bills include the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024-SB.583; Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024-SB.584; Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024-SB.585 and Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024-SB.586.
The bills seek to review the current formulae of how the federal government shares value-added tax (VAT) revenue that states generate. Also, the bills seek to increase the VAT, a move economic experts criticise for being plausible to worsen the current economic hardship Nigerians are going through and diminish their purchasing power.
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Speaking in Bauchi yesterday, when he received a Christian community member who paid him a Christmas homage at the government house, Governor Mohammed warned the federal government not to be arrogant. He thought that whichever policy they brought, it must be.
He said the Tax Reform Bills did not protect the interests of the northern states and that if implemented, they would further worsen the poverty level in the North.
“The situation was not like this before. That’s why the presidency must listen to the Tax Reform. It is not a good policy for northern Nigeria.
We are not going to get money to pay salaries. They must listen. Otherwise, they are calling for anarchy.
“We voted for the president in this state and other states. They must listen to us. They must not come up with a policy that favours only one section of the country or one state in the country. It is about national unity and national hegemony,” he emphasised.
Governor Mohammed, who is also the Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum, said Nigerians are facing difficulties. He added, “There is a lot of wahala; there is a lot of hunger and it is something that we have to pray to God to obliterate it.”
“We have to say it. But certainly, it is not insulting anybody. We call on the presidency and the federal government to change their style. Whenever a policy is not popular, they should listen to people. They should not be arrogant and think it must be whatever they come.
“This is not an oligarchy. This is not a military rule. They must listen to the people. And that’s what makes a good leader. We pledged to be loyal to them. But anything that they’re doing contrary to that is calling for anarchy, intransigency, and it is unacceptable.
“There is a lot of wahala; we must work together across the party lines and all the tiers of government to provide succour and solace to the Nigerian people,” he said.
Speaking, CAN chairman in Bauchi, Reverend Abraham Dimeus, appreciated Governor Mohammed for providing an enabling environment for inter-religious harmony and peace in the state.
He also acknowledged Governor Mohammed’s support to Christians during this year’s Christmas celebration, saying that several families could not afford a meal to make for the festivities without the support.
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