ABUJA—CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, All Progressives Congress, APC, Abia North, has faulted the way and manner President Bola Tinubu presented the tax reform bills to the National Assembly for consideration and subsequent approval, saying Nigerians were not sufficiently educated before the bills were introduced.
The former Chief Whip of the Senate, who called for wider consultations on the bills, however, hailed President Tinubu on the bills, describing his move as a bold step, adding that the economic reform embarked upon by the administration of President Tinubu would yield positive results.
In a statement from his Media Office yesterday, the former Abia State governor explained that the revamping of the nation’s laws, some of which were over 100 years old was imperative and inevitable considering its obsoleteness and ineffectiveness to meet the expectations of the current global economic realities.
Senator Kalu who spoke at the Igbere home of Chief Daniel Eke a former Abia State governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, where he paid a New Year’s visit, said that for Nigeria to make any meaningful progress like China is currently doing, the 36 states must be made to compete among themselves.
Kalu who noted that no state in Nigeria was poor, insisted that every state is as important and endowed as the other, though he acknowledged the pains and sufferings experienced by Nigerians as a result of the reforms but assured that the challenges would soon become a thing of the past.
Kalu explained: “Tinubu is a courageous leader who took the bull by its horns, I’m not saying this out of sycophancy to gain any favours as you all know I’m an accomplished politician and business entrepreneur.
“We need to give the President a chance to carry out these reforms and the tax reform is not a bad bill, it is progressive but the problem is that Nigerians were not lectured enough and lack orientation about its many benefits.
“The Tax reform bill is not bad but we need to carry other regions along. The other regions need to be educated on what the Tax Bill is all about.”
Making reference to China, Kalu explained that the Tax Reform Bills would encourage competition among states which he said would bring about the harnessing of state resources and improved productivity.
He said: “We can’t make any headway as a nation if we don’t go the China way, which is competition. Nigerians must face economic competition. Each of the 36 states should compete with others in terms of productivity. That is the only way the entire country can grow and develop like China.
“President Tinubu is trying to ensure that all the states become competitive. A country like China has been growing for the last 35 years at a 10 percent growth rate which has made it a great country. “They are growing not because of human rights but they are growing in competition. We must engage in competition if we want to grow the practice of sharing free money in Abuja cannot continue.
“We must test our resilience. All our laws need reformation. They are over 100 years old but we need to consult with the people. To catch up with other Nations we should build more Universities we are still backward.”
Kalu who admitted the sufferings of Nigerians and commended them for their patience, expressing optimism that 2025 would be a year of positive outcomes from the Tinubu-led government’s economic policies, said; “President Tinubu is fully aware of the pains that people are passing through and I am also aware but some reforms are going on and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“I understand the difficulties and sufferings of our people very well so I urge Nigerians to be patient and know that we are going through a process.
In response, Daniel Eke appreciated Kalu for the visit he also commended the Senator for his legislative impacts in the Senatorial District.
He said; “Other Senators have given frying pans as empowerment but need good roads, employment, infrastructure, industries that will employ our people.
“Senator Kalu is not just doing his legislative work he has also established processing companies that will employ our people which is what matters most. He is doing this in the best interests of our people.
Earlier in his remark, Kalu reinstated his commitment to enhance his delivery of economic and infrastructural dividends to his constituents.
“I will continue doing my duty as a Senator and that duty is very sacred and I will never compromise. I had to leave my private companies worth millions of dollars to concentrate on my duty as Senator and my duty is more important.
“I had to show the people of Abia-North a distinguished way of being led by a Senator. I have replicated what I did as a Governor and I have returned the power to the people to decide on who governs them I have demonstrated as Governor and now as a Senator,”
Recall that on October 3, 2024, President Tinubu transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly for consideration, following the recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reforms headed by Taiwo Oyedele for the review of existing tax laws.
The bills include the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, which is expected to provide the fiscal framework for taxation in the country, and the Tax Administration Bill, which will provide a clear and concise legal framework for all taxes in the country and reduce disputes.
Others are the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, which will repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service Act and establish the Nigeria Revenue Service, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, which will create a tax tribunal and a tax ombudsman.
