By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo
A coalition of northern groups under the aegis of Forum for Growth and Development of Arewa(FGDA) has flayed open support by some northerners for the new tax reform initiative,and threatened to embark on a protest on Wednesday over the “Anti-North Bills”.
It stated that the decision to embark on the protest was to send a strong message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the Senate and House of Representatives that the alleged” Anti-North Bills” stand rejected and unacceptable.
“President Bola Tinubu has transmitted the Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Bill to the Senate. The proposed legislation is aimed at streamlining tax collection, ensuring compliance and optimising revenue”, it said.
In a statement signed by the Convener,Jibrin Mohammed, the coalition stressed: “We have consulted widely and carried out investigations about the proposed tax reform bills and discovered that the implementation would relatively affect and relegate the northern region economically and commercially.”
The group condemned the stance and endorsement of the controversial tax reform bill, saying its position on the tax reform did not consider our backwardness and development gap between South and North.
“We therefore submit that the tax reform will disproportionately affect the economic livelihoods and aspirations of our people, especially considering the current harsh economic reality in the country,” the coalition added.
“While acknowledging that the proposed tax reform could be of significant interest or benefits to those in the South,we make bold to inform that in backing this anti-North bill, remember that an average Northerner is suffering now and cannot afford to be dragged beyond this point of extreme poverty. “
“North is currently facing problems of insecurity, severe poverty, unemployment, and dearth of infrastructure and any move to create further a policy that will improve us will be met with resistance.”
“We are therefore calling our youths and citizens from the region to join us to stop further action on the tax reform bills.”
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