President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Justice and the National Assembly to address concerns raised over the tax bills.
The transmission of the Tax Reform Bills to the National Assembly has faced criticism, with some governors, particularly from the northern region, strongly opposing the move.
Critics argue that the bills disproportionately affect the northern region and could further impoverish Nigerians.
In response to these concerns, President Tinubu has tasked the Ministry of Justice with reviewing the issues raised and collaborating with the leadership of the National Assembly to refine the bills.
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“It is pertinent to state that the government has nothing sinister to warrant the suggestion that the process is being rushed. In line with the established legislative procedure, the Federal General welcomes meaningful inputs that can address whatever grey areas there may be in the bill,” the Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said in a Tuesday statement.
“In this vein, President Tinubu has already directed the Federal Ministry of Justice and relevant officials who worked on the drafts to work closely with the National Assembly to ensure that all genuine concerns have been addressed before the bills are passed.”
Mohammed said President Tinubu is committed to accountability to the Nigerian people and described the debates generated by the bills as “welcomed, and commendable”.
“It is very inspiring to see Nigerians from all walks of life coming out to express their views and opinions on these matters of critical national importance,” he said. “This is the very essence and meaning of democracy”.
“In the spirit of democratic engagement, there should be no room for name-calling or the injection of unnecessary ethnic and regional slurs into this important national conversation,” the minister said.
Although some of the arguments against the bills are that they were targeted at impoverishing some states, especially in the north, the minister has dismissed the claim which he labeled as “fake news” and “ misinformation”.
“The fiscal reforms will not impoverish any state or region of the country, neither will they lead to the scrapping or weakening of any federal agencies,” he added.
When passed, the minister said, these bills are expected to “bring relief to tens of millions of hardworking Nigerians” and equally “empower and position our states and the 774 local governments for sustainable growth and development”.
“On top of this necessary foundation, the resources being conserved and realized from these reforms will be invested in critical infrastructure (healthcare, education, transportation, digital technology, etc) and in social investments that will benefit all Nigerians and ensure that no one is left behind,” the information minister’s statement read.
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