BY NONYELUM JULIET
Kaduna
The Governors of 19th Northern States and Council of Emirs and Chiefs have rejected the current tax reform forwarded to National Assembly.
The Forum noted that the contents of the Bill is against the interests of the north and other sub-nationals especially the proposed amendment to the distribution of Value Added Tax (VAT) to Derivation-based Model.
In a communique read by the Chairman of the Forum, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya at the end of its crucial meeting in Kaduna noted that companies remit VAT using location of their headquarters and tax office and not where the services and goods are consumed.
“In view of the foregoing, the Forum unanimously rejects the proposed Tax Amendments and calls on members of National Assembly to oppose any bill that can jeopardise the well-being of our people”.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Northern Governor’ Forum is not averse to any policies or programmes that will ensure the growth and development of the Country. However, the Forum calls for equity and farness in the implementation of all national policies and programmes so as to ensure that no geopolitical zone is short-changed or marginalised”.
The Forum resolved to call on the Federal Government and relevant Agencies to urgently address the current electricity power blackout affecting most of the Northern States due to vandalization of electricity transmission infrastructure.
“This matter not only underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure, but also the need to build additional transmission lines and diversify our energy supply so as to better connect our region and improve our energy resilience”.
The Forum also, resolved to provide adequate support to farmers, including access to financing, modern farming techniques and infrastructure such as roads and irrigation systems.
“Agriculture should not only be seen as a means to feed our people but also as a catalyst for industrialization and job creation across the region. That can be achieved through re-industrialisation of the North especially by reviving the textile value chain and development of other agro-allied industries”.
“With the recent “End Bad Governance” protests that took place in August, the Forum resolved to scale up efforts to tackle the root causes of youth restiveness by investing in education, skills development, job creation and pathways for the youth to chanel their energy into productive ventures, thereby reducing their vulnerability to crime and social vices”.
The Forum however, agree to support and key-in to any initiative aimed at addressing the challenges of out-of-school-children and improving educational outcomes in the sub-region.
ENDS
