The Federal Government has been advised as a matter of urgency to suspend the rush to implement the proposed Tax Reform Bills, so as to more wisely use the medium of dialogue to allay all concerns, collect all quality contributions and critical inputs from cross sections of Nigerian stakeholders.
The Leadership of the Northern Elders’ Forum, in a Communique issued at the end of its meeting and signed by Chairman of its Management Board, A.M Al-Amin Daggash, also suggested that, pending the emergence into the national horizon, of clear evidence of the promised economic recovery by the government.
The forum admitted that Since coming into office, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has brazenly operated with a total contempt and sardonic disdain for any patriotic voice of dissent and a palpable proclivity for emasculating its imaginary opponents.
While faulting the tax Bill, the forum stated that the proposed formula contained in the NTAB is not fair to the states where VAT revenue is generated, as the consuming states are denied credit for what has been generated from them.
It added that the plan to move the exceedingly performing developmental and technological institutions, with a secured means of sustainability, such as, TETFund, NITDA and NASENI, to the uncertain and hazardous future of budgetary allocation should be halted.
The forum stressed that religious, charitable organizations and family inheritance wealth, should be exempted from paying all forms of taxes, as this is prone to conflicts over citizens’ strict adherence to some religious obligatory laws.
Source: Galaxy TV
