Former Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has berated individuals, civil society groups, kicking against Tax Reform Bill.
INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the controversial legislation submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to National Assembly, in September 2024, has passed second reading in November, 2024.
Some Northern stakeholders, believed that the bill is an attempt to cripple the region’s economy, while others argued that it will enrich only Lagos and Rivers State.
Speaking at the Channels Television’s Special Town Hall on the Tax Reform Bills which aired on Monday, Dogara faulted the criticisms of the bills and urged Nigerians to critically examine their benefits.
He said: “We should remove the cap of regionalism, the cap of sectionalism, the cap of religion and put on the cup of leadership because that is what will resolve the quarrel that we have.
READ MORE: Nigerians Are In Hard Times, Tax Reform Bills Dead On Arrival At NASS – Ndume
“I think one of the major objections is related to the issue of timing. I’ve heard this from leaders that I respect.
“But in leadership, when you talk about timing, the way I have heard them talk about is a tragic misconception of the notion of time itself because there’s nothing like the future, there’s nothing like the past.
“All we have is now. It is what you are doing now that will become your past. It is what you are doing now that will affect your future”.
“I don’t even care if it was part of the president’s agenda. All I am bothered with as a leader is: is it the right thing?
“Secondly, I have heard about insufficient consultation. I had heard even legislators speaking as if they were spokespersons for some governors’ forum or others instead of looking at what is right and preferring solutions.
“Now, I don’t know why he [Taiwo Oyedele who leads the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee and a panelist for the event] didn’t address some of these issues.
“But I believe in the course of our interface, he will address whether there was enough consultation with the governors.
“But I want to say this: at the state level, how many people do governors consult when they are making laws? I’m not challenging them. As a matter of fact, in some cases, state laws are written from the living rooms of governors.”
via: Information Nigeria
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