SATKEHOLDERS from Nasarawa State have declared their support to the proposed Tax Reform Bill of the Federal Government (FG).
They stated their support at the commencement of the North-Central Citizens’ Assembly engagement on “Understanding the Tax Reform Bill and Feedback Gathering” on Tuesday in Lafia.
The stakeholders were drowned from the youth and women organisations, community and religious leaders and traditional rulers.
Others are student associations, and the FG and state government’s Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The engagement was organised by Mrs Abiodun Essiet, North-Central, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement.
Speaking at the event, Sidi Bage, Emir of Lafia and Chairman of Nasarawa State Traditional Council, appreciated the president’s aide for organising the engagement to enlighten the public and to get their feedback.
The emir, represented by Ishaka Dauda, Madaki Lafia, said that the forum would enable the people to know more about the proposed Tax Reform Bill.
He added that the traditional institutions were in full support of the bill.
He appealed that the bill, when finally passed and signed into law, should be free of corruption during implementation.
“If the government removes corruption from its implementation, when finally passed and signed, the country will be better in terms of welfare and infrastructure,” Bage said.
Mr Augustine Akwe, the State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), said that the bill was aimed at simplifying tax laws, enhancing compliance, and boosting revenue generation for sustainable development.
He appealed to members of the public to key behind the federal government to ensure the success of the bill for the overall development of the country.
Speaking, Essiet said that the engagement was aimed at getting the feeling and feedback of the people at the grassroots on the proposed bill.
“We created this forum to ensure that the voices of the people were not only heard, but reflected in governance processes.
“This bill is pro-masses in every sense of the world and designed to promote small businesses, entrepreneurship and create jobs for the youthful population,” she said.
The president’s aide further said that the government would continue to engage the people to get feedback even after the bill was eventually passed and signed into law.
She promised that similar engagements would be held in the remaining states of the North-Central to promote citizens participation in governance.
The highlight of the engagement included question and answer sessions and a presentation on the breakdown of the Tax Reform Bill by the representative of the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
