10th December, 2024
By EricJames Ochigbo
Lawmakers representing constituencies in Southern Nigeria in the House of Representatives on Tuesday declared support for the tax reforms bills introduced by President Bola Tinubu.
Leader of the Southern caucus in the House of Representatives, Rep. Nicholas Mutu (PDP-Delta) disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja.
Mutu said the caucus welcomes the bills and are ready to commence legislative actions on the bills.
Also speaking at the press briefing, Rep. Fred Agbedi (PDP-Bayelsa) said that it is the responsibility of the House of Representatives, the Senate, to receive proposals of any sort of bill from either the Executive or the individual bills.
He said that once the assembly receives proposals, they go through house procedures, and processes, and then the public is invited here.
“The President has sent executive bill, what the southern caucus is saying is that we are ready to take up our official responsibility of making laws for the nation.
“We welcome the bill and that as we process it, imputes are made from our various states and constituencies.
“Some states have already received those inputs, and so we are in consonance with our constituents and the states that we represent. And so we are ready to work to ensure that we give a better tax law to Nigeria,” he said.
Also speaking, Rep. Benson Babajim (APC-Lagos state) said that the caucus was open to negations with other groups who are opposed to the bills.
He said that all opposing groups should be willing to engage and shift ground for the general good of the country.
The bills seek to provide fiscal framework as well as clear and concise legal frameworks for all taxes in the country and reduce disputes in tax administration
However, the 36 state governors through the National Economic Council have demanded for the withdrawal of the proposed legislations.
The Governor said they want the bills to be withdrawn so that there can be more consultations and public inputs into them.
(NAN)