President Bola Tinubu has asked the Federal Ministry of Justice and the National Assembly to address complaints about the tax bills.
Tinubu’s transfer of the Tax Reform Bills to the National Assembly has been met with criticism. The action has set the president against some governors, with the northern region issuing the most strident protest.
Some critics believe the legislation is biased against the north, while others contend that it would further impoverish Nigerians.
To address these issues, President Tinubu has directed the Justice Ministry to investigate the complaints and collaborate with the National Assembly leadership to smooth out the rough edges of the bills.
“It is important to note that the administration has nothing sinister to justify the allegation that the process is being rushed. Following established legislative procedures, the Federal General welcomes meaningful contributions that can resolve any gaps in the bill,” said Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, in a statement on Tuesday.
“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 stated that President Tinubu is devoted to responsibility to the Nigerian people and praised the arguments sparked by the laws 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,” added the presidential hopeful. “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,” according to the minister.
Although some critics argue that the measures were aimed at impoverishing certain states, particularly in the north, the minister has denounced the accusation as “fake news” and “misinformation.”.
“The fiscal reforms will not impoverish any state or region of the country, nor will they lead to the scrapping or weakening of any federal agencies,” the minister stated.
When passed, the minister stated, these laws are projected to “bring relief to tens of millions of hard-working Nigerians” while also “empowering and positioning our states and 774 local governments for sustainable growth and development.”.
“On top of this necessary foundation, the resources being conserved and realised 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,” according to the statement issued by the information minister.
