The Executive Director of Patriots for Advancement of Peace and Social Development, Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has declared total support for the tax reforms proposed by President Bola Tinubu, while stating that governors opposed to the reforms are lazy and unwilling to build the revenue of their states.
Shinkafi who made these submissions on Monday on Arise News said that the Tax reforms will build the internally generated revenue of the states which the governors are lazy and unwilling to do as they have refused to study and understand it.
He further dismissed claims that the tax reforms are anti-north, clarifying that the new revenue-sharing formula prioritises performance-based allocation.
“Because of how the monies are going to be shared based on your performance, based on your contribution, that is why they are complaining. Most of these states are lazy, most of them are not ready to develop the state to generate the revenue, that is why they are complaining,” he said.
In defending the bills which are before the National Assembly, Shinkafi also defended the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the legislative session in which the bill was debated by the lawmakers.
He claimed that opposition to the bill is politically motivated and based on misinformation.
“The attack by the Northern Youth Assembly is uncalled for. All the attacks, blackmail, and mischief-making are politically motivated against the Deputy Senate President,
“If they have gone deeply into it, the governors will not be crying foul… These governors are responsible for the economic failure, insecurity, chronic unemployment, acute poverty, and educational backwardness in the northern region,” he argued.
He listed some of the benefits of the tax reform bills and why all stakeholders should embrace it.
“Small businesses with turnover not exceeding ₦50 million are exempted from paying annual taxes. Pharmaceutical products, food items, educational materials, agricultural equipment, and export goods are also exempted from VAT,” Shinkafi stated.
He added that the reduction of income tax for small businesses from 30% to 25% is a significant advantage.
Shinkafi also dismissed speculations that the tax reforms are skewed in favour of Lagos State, and attributed such narratives to misinformation.
“People are being misinformed on the new tax bill against the presidency… The most important thing is for you to be upright in your decision and very transparent and accountable,” he said.
As a solution to the controversies surrounding the bill, Shinkafi called for public hearings to enlighten the public on the contents and merits of the bill.
“The issue of attribution and derivation is clear. With public hearings, all these would have been avoidable,” he noted.
