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NITDA, TETFund, NASENI ‘ll be scrapped if Tax Reform Bills sail through — Says Zulum

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will all cease to exist if the four Tax Reform Bills currently being considered by the National Assembly were passed into laws.

This was disclosed by Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, while speaking on Channels TV’s programme, ‘Sunday Politics’, which was monitored by our Correspondent on Sunday night.

Recalls that the contentious Bills are the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 -SB.583; The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) BILL, 2024- SB.584; The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024-SB.585; and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 – SB.586.Nigeria cultural tours.

Read Also: Ndume, Shehu Sani differ on Tax Reform Bills

Zulum, who said neither himself nor any Northern governor was against President Bola Tinubu over the Executive Bills, however, noted that they were only craving for dialogue and adequate consultation about the proposed legislations in order not to be short-changed.

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The governor expressed reservations about some of the provisions of the Bills, which include the status and nomenclature of the current Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) upon passage of the Bills into law, to assume the power of being the only tax collection agency in Nigeria, questioning whether the agency has the structures in place to execute such mandate.

Zulum also explained that if the Bills scaled through and become laws, 34 States of the Federation would be shortchanged as only Lagos and Rivers States would be the main beneficiaries.

“Let them give us facts and figures, let them convince us,” Zulum stated.

It will be recalled that President Tinubu had in October forwarded the four executive Bills to the National Assembly for passage into laws. On November 28, the Tax Reform Bills passed the second reading stage in the Senate, while the House of Representatives has fixed Tuesday for debate on the proposed legislations.

 

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