Tax reform: Akume plays down northern opposition as Senate meets AGF

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has dismissed claims that the northerners were against the proposed Tax Reform Bills.

He said he had consulted senior citizens, leaders and religious leaders from the region who expressed their supports for the bills.

The bills, including the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024, and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024, have sparked widespread debate since their introduction to the National Assembly.

Speaking during a programme on TVC News on Sunday, the SGF dismissed claims that the bills were targeted at the North

He said, “People say it’s against a certain section. I come from that part of that section and I am 100 per cent supportive of these bills. I have spoken to quite a number of notable northerners and they’re not against these bills. These bills have nothing to do with any one section of this country. It’s not proposed against the north. I am also a northerner.

“There are others who are attacking the bills purely from the perspective of opposition politics, ‘It is coming from the party in power. Therefore, we have to attack it in order to gain support for 2027.’

‘’But the truth is I have also spoken to notable northerners. And they’re not against these bills. Some of them are religious people, leaders. Others are senior citizens of Nigeria from the North.

“So, my candid advice would be that the final analysis will be going to the National Assembly. And therefore, if they have any comment to make, they can put it down in writing. Or whenever the Assembly decides to hold public hearing, they can make their views. But you said, no, let us go on protest.”

The SGF also said the bills were specifically for the poor citizens of the country.

“Those who earn lesser than N800,000 per annum are exempted from payment of the personal income tax. And it is also pro-growth. Those who are in small businesses whose revenues are below N550m will not pay company tax.

“And education, hospitals, and so on, are exempted from payment of that. So, you see, why we say it is pro-poor, these bills are nationalistic.”

Akume also noted that the Federal Government had restructured VAT revenue distribution, increasing the share for states and local governments to 55 per cent and 35 per cent respectively.

He said, “If you look at the issue of VAT where the Federal Government was taking 15 per cent in the present arrangement, the Federal Government has dropped five per cent out of the 15 per cent added to the states. So, the state governments now have to benefit. Their benefit is about 55 per cent, while the local government would take 35 per cent.

“So, you see, in this arrangement, we have even more local governments in the north, or more states in the north. So, more money is going to come in. And basically, what I’m saying is, ‘let’s give the bills a chance.’”