Bwala made this statement on Tuesday, December 3, while appearing on Prime Time, an Arise Television program. This comes after widespread criticism of the tax reform bills, which President Tinubu dispatched to the national assembly on October 3.
Bwala said:
According to The Cable, the tax reform bills comprise four main legislations: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill. President Tinubu is also seeking to repeal the law establishing the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and replace it with the Nigeria Revenue Service. However, the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) has kicked against the bills, asking the national assembly to reject any legislation that may harm the region’s interests.
Despite the opposition, Bwala maintains that the tax reform bills are designed to benefit the poor, particularly in northern Nigeria. He expressed sadness over the notion that the bills were intended to afflict the North, stating that many Northerners supported the bill. Bwala emphasized that the tax reform bills address the problems faced by poor people and that the tax is actually in favour of the poor.
Bwala’s statement is in line with the presidency’s assurance to the northern governors that the tax reform bills are not intended to shortchange any part of the country. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has also advised northerners not to condemn President Tinubu over the bills but rather to view the reforms as an opportunity.
TimesNow.com.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Ministry of Justice to work with the National Assembly on the concerns raised on the tax reform bill.
Tinubu’s directive was to ensure that all genuine concerns about the bill were addressed before it was passed.
The tax reform bill has become controversial since it was forwarded to the National Assembly in October.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
