The Federal Government has described as worrisome, the injection of ethnic and regional slur and name calling, in the ongoing debate on tax reform bill before the National Assembly.
Minister of Information and National Orientation Alhaji Mohammed Idris, in a statement on Tuesday, however said the nationwide debate on the bill is a welcome development, and commendable, describing it “very inspiring” to the meaning of democracy.
Mohammed stated that there is a lot of misinformation and fake news circulating around the bills and the intention of President Bola Tinubu.
“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 assured.
The minister stated that instead, the bill will bring relief to tens of millions of hardworking Nigerians across the country and empower and position the states and the 774 Local Governments for sustainable growth and development.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is implementing an ambitious fiscal reform agenda that will devolve more resources to Nigeria’s state and Local Governments, and ultimately to the Nigerian people, in the spirit of harnessing democracy that works for the people.
“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.
“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,” Idris said.
According to him, in addition to the four tax bills being debated and deliberated upon by the National Assembly, there is also the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on financial autonomy for local governments, which will significantly empower the tier of government that is closest to the Nigerian people.
The minister stated that these reforms will not only facilitate increased revenues (without imposing additional tax burdens on the people), they will also make it possible for citizens to demand and enjoy greater accountability in the management of public resources at all levels of government.
“President Tinubu and the administration will continue to champion policies that close the loopholes and gaps through which Nigeria’s valuable public resources have been frittered away for decades,” he assured.
Idris said the resources being conserved and realised from these reforms will be invested in critical infrastructure, such as healthcare, education, transportation, digital technology, etc, as well as in social investments that will benefit all Nigerians and ensure that no one is left behind.
“This is the promise and the reality of the Renewed Hope agenda,” he added.
