Nigeria not ripe for tax reforms, Kano Rep insists

The controversy surrounding the Tax Reform Bill pending before the National Assembly may not end anytime soon, as House of Representatives member from Kano State, Dr Mustapha Ghali, insists that the country is not ripe for implementation of the new tax administration.

While addressing journalists in Kano, Ghali, representing Gaya, Ajingi and Albasu Federal Constituency, revealed how he turned down a colleague from the South sent to persuade him to influence fellow Northern lawmakers to support the executive bill introduced by President Bola Tinubu.

According to him, unlike developed countries where the implementation of such tax administration is workable because of the system, the implementation in Nigeria at the period portends great danger to the citizens.

The New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) lawmaker explained that though the proponent told him that Kano would gain more from the tax reform, he vehemently refused to buy into the idea because of the lopsidedness that would eventually affect states neighbouring Kano.

“There was an influential member from the South that met me and said, ‘Dr Ghali, you are privileged to have the wherewithal to stand and speak and you usually get the support of your fellow members. We have come to strike a deal with you today. We want you to support these tax reform bills.’

“He told me that their reason was that when it is passed, Kano will also benefit alongside Lagos. ‘If Kano benefitted, you will also benefit.’ I told him that he was right, but that I want Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara Sokoto and Kebbi to also benefit.”

Ghali’s reason for rejecting the bill is that the above-mentioned states are in a better position to help Kano when in need than Lagos in far-flung South West.

He said, “My reason was, if today I have a problem in Kano before you come to my rescue from Lagos, I have called someone from Jigawa or Katsina or Kaduna or Niger. So, even if Kano will benefit, what of my neighbours, those that I have always been at peace with.

“This indicates that these people have an ulterior motive. The good thing is that all northern legislators have all sat and are working towards containing the issue. We all have our priorities from the people we are representing. Your interest should not be against the other region. This is why we are telling people to stop fighting for political differences but for the success of our region.”

He, however, called on Northerners at all levels to jettison political interest and speak in unison against issues that might cripple the economic survival of the region.

“Countries across the world have implemented the tax reform bill and it is working for them. But at what point? You have to provide a conducive environment and development such as employment, hospitals, schools and other social amenities for the populace.”

For instance, England, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia implemented the bill and it is working for them, the government was able to do so based on the development provided and taxes collected from the well-to-do to ensure the sustainability of the developmental projects.

“So, what we are saying is, Nigeria is not yet ripe for the implementation of the proposed bill. It is not like we totally rejected it, but the government has to provide the development and conducive environment before implementing the tax reform bill,” he said.

Ghali, however, appealed to Northern lawmakers, governors, elders, businessmen and women, academics and all relevant stakeholders to come together to stop the bill.

The first timer at the green chamber revealed that he sponsored about 10 bills on the floor of the House, including the bill seeking the establishment of a Federal Medical College in Gaya, which had scaled third reading and to be forwarded to the Senate and the President for approvals.

If the medical college is established, he added, it will go a long way in improving the well-being of citizens within the area.