Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has set up a committee to study the tax reform bills sent to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
ACF in a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, said the forum accepted that periodic public policy reforms are in line with the political and public administrative processes, in which regard reforms are indeed necessary and desirable.
He added that nothing in the life of any community is static and policies must try to address emerging challenges and take advantage of new opportunities.
According to the statement, debates have continued to rage on the pros and cons of the proposed bills, with positions being argued vehemently and stridently with passion, stressing however, that it was concerning that the emerging debates had become acrimonious, pitting sections of the country against each other.
“It is highly regretful that opinions have tended to involve unsavoury and often abusive words meant to denigrate, blackmail or intimidate anyone perceived, rightly or wrongly, as standing in support or opposing the bills or their specific aspects therefrom as are now under consideration in the senate,” he said.
