Group seeks speedy passage of tax reform bills

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

A pro-democracy organization, the Parliamentary Monitoring Group (PMG), has called for the speedy passage of the tax reform bills, transmitted to the parliament by President Bola Tinubu, recently.

The group, in a statement by its President, Adebayor Lion Ogorry, said the bills were designed to rescue the country from economic doldrums.

Recall that President Tinubu recently transmitted the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill to the National Assembly.

However, the bills has generated diverse reactions with state governors calling for their withdrawal to enable more consultations.

Nevertheless, the group urged President Tinubu not to be distracted in his quest to lift Nigerians out of the present economic hardships. It also charged the National Assembly to consider the four bills as their own contribution towards revamping the nation’s ailing economy.

“We know it’s a very difficult time for every Nigerian, but the people in authority must stand up and be counted as partners in nation building and economic rejuvenation. The President must not be distracted, he must remain focused in his quest to liberate Nigerians from the economic quagmire.

“Members of National Assembly should not listen to any distractions. They should give these Bills accelerated passage. There’s no other matter of urgent national importance like the state of our economy and anything done to salvage it, is not only commendable, it’s godly.

“What Nigerians need to know is that, some of the Bills will transfer tax collection functions from existing agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Upstream Regulatory Commission, to a new National Revenue Service that will collect taxes at local government, state, and national levels; while Federal Inland Revenue Service and Joint Tax Board will be renamed and restructured, in line with the mandate of the Act, after presidential assent, ” the group stated.