A chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Chekwas Okorie has commended the decision of the 36 states governors to collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure seamless passage of the tax reform bills.
The Nigeria Governors Forum at the end of their meeting with the Presidential Tax Reform Commitee last week agreed to give support to the proposed legislation.
The Governors in a communique signed by Kwara state Governor and Chairman of the Forum, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, “endorsed a revised Value Added Tax (VAT) sharing formula to ensure equitable distribution of resources: 50% based on equality, 30% based on derivation, and 20% based on population.”
Speaking with Tribune Online in a telephone interview, Okorie declared that the governors new position as against their initial hardline posturing to frustrate the proposed legislation was heartwarming.
While he commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he called his tenacity of purpose, the APGA chieftain noted that those who vehemently spoke against the Bills had not read through its contents to consider its gains.
He said:” It is a welcome relief to all well-meaning Nigerians that the Nigerian governors, especially the Northern governors, finally reached unanimity in consenting to the wisdom and progressivism of the four tax reforms bills. The heated debate, acrimony, and controversy, which erupted after the presidency presented the bills to the National Assembly for legislative action, were unfortunate and avoidable.
“It is true that ultra conservatives cringe and most times are suspicious of any form of change from the status quo, but the case of the executive bills on tax reforms exposed the intellectual laziness and lack of depth of those who vehemently opposed the reforms without reading through the contents and provisions of the bills.
“It is even more unfortunate that the Northern Governors forum rebuffed several attempts made by the Presidential Committee that proposed the bills to interface with them to break down the nitty-gritty of the bills to their understanding. It is interesting that after all the tantrums, it was only the minor recalibration of the sharing formula of the V.A.T. revenue that was needed to quieten the heated political atmosphere of Nigeria.
“I commend President Tinubu for the power of his conviction and tenacity of purpose in getting Nigeria to discard its outdated tax laws. I believe that when the tax bills are passed into law and assented to by the President, a critical aspect of the much awaited fiscal federalism in Nigeria would have been achieved.”
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