NEWS
Tax Bills Debate Heats Up: Tinubu Orders Review To Address Concerns
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Justice and the National Assembly to address concerns raised over the proposed Tax Reform Bills.
The bills, which aim to reshape Nigeria’s fiscal policies, have faced criticism from various quarters, particularly northern governors who claim the reforms could harm their region.
The reforms have been described by some critics as potentially impoverishing Nigerians and targeting the northern region.
However, the presidency has dismissed these allegations as unfounded.
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Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, assured Nigerians that the government is committed to transparency and fairness.
“The government has nothing sinister to warrant the suggestion that the process is being rushed. In line with the established legislative procedure, the Federal Government welcomes meaningful inputs that can address whatever grey areas there may be in the bills,” Idris said in a statement on Tuesday.
He added that President Tinubu has mandated the Justice Ministry and relevant officials to work closely with the National Assembly to resolve any concerns before the bills are passed into law.
Idris lauded the public engagement on the issue, describing the debates as “commendable” and in line with democratic principles.
“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.
“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.”
Addressing allegations that the bills are anti-north, Idris dismissed the claims as “fake news” and “misinformation.” He emphasized that the reforms are designed to benefit all Nigerians and would not marginalize any region.
“These 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 said.
The Tax Reform Bills were the focus of a recent town hall event hosted by Channels Television, where experts weighed in on the controversy.
Among the panelists were Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee; Yakubu Dogara, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives; and Governor Sule Abdullahi of Nasarawa State.
Oyedele defended the bills, highlighting their potential to transform the country’s fiscal system.
“These bills have more than 200 transformative provisions to fix our country and set us on the right path to prosperity,” he said.
“We should not allow one or two provisions that we can easily discuss and agree on to become the pain or the bottleneck.”
Dogara urged critics, particularly from the northern region, to avoid politicizing the issue. “I want to talk to my brothers in the North. I don’t think this is the time for us to begin to condemn the president and to begin to say that on account of these bills, he is anti-north,” he said.
Despite calls for the bills to be withdrawn, the Senate has already passed them through a second reading.
Stakeholders hope that Tinubu’s directive for a review will ensure that all concerns are addressed and the final legislation promotes equitable economic reforms.
The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to allocate ₦100 million to Nigeria’s Tobacco Control Fund, enhancing its capacity to enforce the National Tobacco Control Act.
During Wednesday’s plenary, Bassey Akiba, representing Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal Constituency, emphasised the need for increased funding.
He highlighted that the current allocation of ₦10 million in the 2024 budget falls short of what is required to combat tobacco-related health issues effectively.
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“Tobacco control is crucial due to its impact on preventable deaths, including cancer,” Akiba stated. He warned that inadequate funding could worsen health risks, noting tobacco consumption’s link to cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and cancer.
The House urged the Federal Ministry of Health to provide a detailed report on the Tobacco Control Fund, including its balance, funding sources, and previous expenditures.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas backed the motion, stressing the importance of sustainable funding to reduce dependence on international donors.
The House resolved to advocate for a ₦100 million allocation in the 2025 budget to bolster the fund’s effectiveness.
At the eighth Nigeria Family Planning Conference held in Abuja, medical experts stressed the urgent need to address high fertility rates and low family planning uptake to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
The event, themed “Sustaining Commitments for Family Planning within the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative,” was organised by the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Dr Ejike Oji, Chairman of the AAFP Management Committee, underscored the transformative potential of family planning as a tool for sustainable development. He highlighted its multifaceted benefits, including saving lives, promoting gender equity, and fostering economic growth. According to Oji, “$1 invested in contraceptive services saves $3 in maternal and newborn health costs by reducing unintended pregnancies.”
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Despite some progress, Nigeria’s Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) remains at 15 per cent, with an unmet need of 21 per cent. Dr Oji called for increased collaboration and innovation to meet the FP2030 targets.
Funmilola OlaOlorun, Co-Principal Investigator at Performance Monitoring for Action/Nigeria, emphasised the need for strict adherence to the national family planning blueprint to achieve a two per cent annual CPR increase. “We cannot do business as usual,” she stated, urging for more funding, dedication, and resource mobilisation.
Samuel Oyeniyi, Director at the Reproductive Health Department, acknowledged the slow but steady progress towards FP2030. He emphasised the importance of integrating family planning into broader health initiatives to bridge existing gaps.
The conference highlighted Nigeria’s renewed commitment, including a $4 million government investment in family planning and the integration of family planning services into the healthcare provision fund, ensuring access for marginalised groups.
In a significant boost to Nigeria’s economy, major global tech companies, including Google, Meta, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Microsoft, have contributed a combined N2.55 trillion ($1.5 billion) in taxes to the Nigerian government during the first half of 2024.
The news, revealed by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) on Wednesday, highlights the positive impact of foreign digital companies adhering to tax regulations in Nigeria.
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Data from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that these tech giants, including interactive computer service platforms and internet intermediaries, have contributed substantially to government revenue by adhering to Nigeria’s tax regulations.
“This significant increase in revenue underscores the role of regulatory frameworks in shaping compliance and driving revenue growth in the digital economy,” said Hadiza Umar, NITDA’s Head of Public Affairs, in a statement.
Beyond financial contributions, the report also highlighted the actions taken by social media platforms to enforce their policies in Nigeria.
In 2023, platforms deactivated 12.1 million Nigerian accounts for various violations, while 65.8 million pieces of Nigerian content were removed for breaching platform guidelines.
Additionally, 4.126 million complaints from Nigerian users were filed, and 379,433 pieces of content were reinstated after appeals.
NITDA also lauded Google, X, Microsoft, and TikTok for their adherence to the Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries, a set of guidelines developed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), and NITDA. The Code aims to enhance online safety and manage harmful content.
“The Code of Practice outlines clear guidelines for promoting online safety and managing harmful content,” NITDA’s statement read.
While acknowledging the progress made by these platforms in ensuring user safety, NITDA stressed the importance of continued collaboration and innovation.
“We remain committed to working with stakeholders to strengthen and enhance user safety measures, digital literacy, trust, and transparency,” the agency concluded.
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