Tax reform bills dead on arrival at National Assembly – Ndume

The senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, has said that the tax reform bills sent to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu were dead on arrival.

Ndume urged the President to listen to the National Economic Council, NEC, and the Northern Governors’ Forum and immediately withdraw the bills.

The lawmaker stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday.

According to him, the Federal Government should be looking at ways to reduce the tax burden on Nigerians and not increase it.

“If it goes on like that, I can tell you that it will be dead on arrival. We don’t need to study the bills. Let people live first before you start asking for taxes.

“The general thing is that Nigerians are not willing to talk about or pay any tax now considering the (economic) situation we are in now.

“Nigerians are willing to pay taxes but they can only pay taxes when they can afford it. Right now, people are struggling to survive. Let people live first before you start asking them for taxes,” he added.

Ndume said the Tinubu administration needs to reform itself and not increase taxes paid by Nigerians.

The tax reform bills which have been sent to the National Assembly have faced scathing criticisms with the 36 state governors asking the President to withdraw the bills from the legislature.

However, the President insisted that the bills won’t be withdrawn but inputs and necessary changes can be made by the lawmakers.