The Growth and Development for Northern Nigeria (GDNN), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has commended the maturity of governors in engaging the Presidential Tax Reform Committee.
By Emmanuel Mogbede
The Growth and Development for Northern Nigeria (GDNN), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has commended the maturity of governors in engaging the Presidential Tax Reform Committee.
Malam Haruna Buhari, Acting Secretary, Public Policy Advocacy Unit of the GDNN, in a statement on Friday in Abuja, also congratulated the governors on their position on the need to reform the country’s tax policies.
Buhari assured the governors, under the platform of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), that the GDNN was with them on the issue.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that after weeks of controversy, the NGF and the Presidential Tax Reform Committee agreed on Revised VAT of 50 per cent Equality Sharing Formula.
The governors, at the end of their meeting on Thursday, endorsed the sharing of the VAT proceeds on the basis of 50 per cent equality.
They also agreed on 20 per cent sharing on population basis, from 30 per cent, which was the current allocation before the tax reform proposal.
The tax reform deal came as the Senate, on Thursday, projected a N100 trillion aggregate expenditure for 2026 fiscal year, promising to free funds it said were being held by some government organisations.
Buhari said that GDNN would continue to stand by the NGF on the need for the Federal Government to soften on the subject.
“Indeed, it is not the scaling up of rates that will enhance the efficiency of the revenue inflow, but lowering these rates at this very difficult time,” Buhari said.
He said that the government should instead, develope user-friendly platforms that would make the payment processes easier and less cumbersome.
Buhari further said that this would drive growth in the overall revenue inflow into the country’s treasury.
He called on Nigerians to support and stand by the position taken by governors, under the chairmanship of Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara.
Buhari also congratulated both the Palestinians, in particular, the Hamas and the Israelis for achieving successful cease fire negotiations after over a year of engagement in lethal hostilities.
He said that what was agreed on, confirmed that the war which started on Oct. 7, 2023 was unnecessary.
Buhari said that it also confirmed that no amount of use of war machinery or deployment of superior fire power could give the stronger side advantage over the weak.
“Both sides must end up sitting to negotiate an end. That is what was confirmed by the agreement reached on Wednesday, Jan. 15,” he said.
Buhari urged the two sides to sustain the negotiations, until a permanent and lasting peace plan was agreed on.
He appreciated the leaders of the State of Qatar, Egypt, USA, Turkey and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for persevering in the entire process.
Buhari called on countries of the world to support the complete reconstruction of Gaza and the full rehabilitation of the citizens as soon as possible, saying that GDNN would drive the effort internally. (NAN)
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