Northern Governors, opposes President Tinubu’s proposed Nigeria Tax Reform Bill.

 

The recent meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum in Kaduna underscored the region's current challenges and united leadership's resolve to address them. The 19 northern governors, along with prominent traditional rulers, highlighted issues like economic hardship, youth restiveness, and insufficient educational opportunities, which disproportionately impact the North.

Central to their discussions was their opposition to President Tinubu’s proposed Nigeria Tax Reform Bill. The governors argued that the bill's VAT distribution model would disadvantage northern states, where VAT collections are not locally retained due to companies paying VAT from headquarters based elsewhere. This would worsen economic inequality between northern and southern regions. They called for policies that respect regional equity and emphasized the need for measures to support economic development, including investments in agriculture and industrialization to reduce the North’s dependency on external revenue.

Traditional rulers, including the Sultan of Sokoto, reiterated the importance of addressing social issues such as the Almajiri system and the plight of out-of-school children. Sultan Abubakar urged support for the Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Commission to provide better futures for young Northerners, linking education to freedom and self-reliance.

The forum also discussed security challenges, commending the federal government’s recent efforts to curb crime in the region and affirming the need for traditional institutions to support security agencies in combating various forms of criminality.

In essence, the forum showcased the North's leaders’ commitment to addressing socio-economic and security challenges, advocating for balanced national policies, and prioritizing the welfare of the northern populace.