One of the notable Northern groups, Arewa Think Tank (ATT), has said that the proposed tax reform by the President Bola Tinubu administration is an opportunity for the North to be creative and innovative in exploiting mineral resources in the region for the benefit of the people.
Recall that northern governors, traditional rulers, and Northern Elders Forum rejected the proposed tax reform Bills, saying they were not in the interest of the nation and the region in particular. Also, Governor Babagana Zulum, of Borno State, recently criticizmsed the tax reform Bills, saying it will drag the northern part of the country backward.
However, in an issued statement by the Convener of Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu said: The Tax reform is a great opportunity for the North to be creative, innovative, wake up and engage the Federal Government and the National Assembly for Constitutional amendment, and canvass for States to exploit their mineral resources for the benefit of development and their people.
The Bills, transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in September, have faced stiff opposition, especially from the North, with stakeholders calling for its withdrawal.
However, despite protests and rejections of the pieces of the legislation, the Senate passed the Bills for second reading last Thursday, despite rowdiness at plenary.
For us at Arewa Think Tank, we are enjoying the speedy and smooth passage to the current phase, when other Bills had to spend several years to scale through. This shows that there are big fortunes and prospects in the tax reform Bills.
Based on our understanding, tax reform is something that will develop the North in its entirety. Therefore, we call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others to go ahead in signing into law the Bills.
It is very wrong for the North to call for the withdrawal of the tax Bills, because the advantages by far outweigh the disadvantages, if at all there is any disadvantage. What we are saying is that, let the reform be accepted by our northern leaders; so that even after they have departed this world, their children would reap the benefits of it.
We are appealing to Northern leaders to be patriotic to endorse the reform that would propel the progress of the North and other regions. We are also appealing to President Tinubu and the lawmakers to go ahead with the Bills, and stop listening to those who are kicking against its implementation, the statement read.
