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Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) representative Mathew Gbonjubola has cautioned against interpreting the administration’s tax reform bills as a matter of north versus south. He urged that the reforms be approached with a broader, unified perspective, stressing that regional divides could hinder constructive discussion on the intended fiscal goals.
President Tinubu submitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly on October 3, urging lawmakers to consider and pass them promptly. Among the proposed legislation are the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Tax Administration Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, each designed to reshape tax administration and streamline revenue channels.
Tinubu’s reform plan includes a proposal to dismantle the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), replacing it with a rebranded agency called the Nigeria Revenue Service. This reorganization is intended to optimize tax collection and align the revenue agency’s mandate with the government’s fiscal goals.
In a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the Compliance and Enforcement Coordinating Director at FIRS pointed out that a significant portion of Nigerians are unfamiliar with the tax bills. He indicated that enhancing public awareness would be crucial for these reforms to be fully understood and accepted.
“I don’t think we should make this a north versus south or east versus west issue,” he said. “A lot of people who are commenting on those bills have not even read them.”
“Some of the arguments that are coming out are actually inaccurate. Many people base their commentaries on hearsay.”
Meanwhile, a federal lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District in the National Assembly (NASS), Ali Ndume, says the tax reform bills sent to the legislative arm of government by President Bola Tinubu are dead on arrival.
Ndume said the President should listen to the National Economic Council (NEC) and the Northern Governors’ Forum and immediately withdraw the bills.
“If it goes on like that, I can tell you that it will be dead on arrival. We don’t need to study the bill,” the unsparingly blunt lawmaker known for his unconventional stance said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.
Ndume, one of the longest and fiercest lawmakers in the National Assembly, said the Federal Government should be looking at ways to reduce the tax burden on Nigerians and not increase it.
“The general thing is that Nigerians are not willing to talk about or pay any tax now considering the (economic) situation we are in now,” he said.
“Nigerians are willing to pay taxes but they can only pay taxes when they can afford it. Right now, people are struggling to survive. Let people live first before you start asking them for taxes.”
The senator said, “It will be fair to shut the bill down, it is the fairest thing to do”, indicating that he has started campaigning against the bills among his colleagues and is getting good support to throw out the bills.
Ndume, who is in the President’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the Tinubu administration needs to reform itself and not increase taxes paid by Nigerians.
