From Abba Dukawa, Abuja
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Housing and Habitat, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has expressed confidence that the National Assembly will soon pass President Tinubu’s tax reform bills.
Jibrin made the statement while appearing on Politics Today on TVC News on Sunday.
He emphasized that the tax reforms championed by President Tinubu are aimed at securing a better future for Nigeria.
He also assured that the National Assembly would review the bills thoroughly and, if necessary, amend any contentious provisions before their passage.
“I have never had any doubt about the consideration and passage of the tax reform bills. We will pass them,” Jibrin said.
Acknowledging that there were misconceptions about the reform bills, particularly in the northern region of the country, where he hails from, Jibrin stressed the importance of educating Nigerians on the merits and necessity of the reforms.
“For those of us who have thoroughly reviewed the bills, the overall advantages far outweigh any perceived disadvantages, regardless of where the opposition may come from,” he stated.
Jibrin further clarified that President Tinubu’s approach to the bills is not confrontational, similar to the stance of the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Rather, the goal is to foster a deeper understanding of the bills’ objectives, which focus on improving revenue generation and distribution to ensure the country’s economic stability.
“While there may be contentious clauses in the bills, that does not mean they should be discarded or ignored by the National Assembly,” Jibrin said.
“Since the bills are already before us, it is our responsibility, as lawmakers, to ensure they go through the necessary legislative processes, which will allow us to amend any contentious provisions, as they are not set in stone.”
He also noted that many critics of the bills have not fully read them and are instead relying on misinformation spread by others.
“Many of those who are opposing the bills haven’t read them but are simply echoing false narratives,” he added.
Jibrin reiterated his belief that despite the current hardships Nigerians are facing, including the impact of the fuel subsidy removal and the cancellation of the parallel forex market, the proposed tax reform, along with other economic measures by President Tinubu, will eventually lead to a transformation of the Nigerian economy.
