Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has warned that the northern states of Nigeria will struggle to pay workers’ salaries if the proposed Tax Reform Bills submitted by the presidency to the National Assembly are enacted.
The presidency recently introduced four tax reform bills for legislative consideration, namely 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 the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024-SB.586.
These bills aim to revise the current formula for the distribution of value-added tax (VAT) revenue among states and propose an increase in VAT rates.
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Economic experts have raised concerns that the proposed VAT hike could exacerbate the ongoing economic difficulties faced by Nigerians, further eroding their purchasing power.
Speaking in Bauchi yesterday while receiving a member of the Christian community who paid him a Christmas visit at the government house, Governor Mohammed cautioned the federal government against adopting an arrogant stance.
He stressed that any new policy should be carefully considered and inclusive of the needs of all regions.
The governor specifically pointed out that the Tax Reform Bills did not safeguard the interests of the northern states, warning that their implementation could deepen poverty in the region.
“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.
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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, the CAN chairman in Bauchi, Reverend Abraham Dimeus, expressed gratitude to Governor Mohammed for creating an environment conducive to inter-religious harmony and peace in the state.
He also thanked the governor for his support to Christians during this year’s Christmas celebrations, noting that many families would have struggled to afford a meal for the festivities without the assistance provided.
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