By Ekpeno ASUQUO, Abuja

The Federal Government has said the controversial tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly were to ensure fairness, equity and justice for Nigerians.

This came on a day civil society organisations, CSOs, led by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, called on the federal government to build a fair and inclusive tax system that reflects alignment of fiscal policies with equity and economic stabilization.

The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who stated this at a briefing on World HIV Day, Security Awareness, Discouraging Get Rich Quick Syndrome, World Human Rights Day and Tax Reforms in Asaba, Delta State, said the bills were designed to scrap the over 50 nuisance taxes suffered by local businesses.

According to him, VAT will no longer be calculated based on where companies have their headquarters but where the goods are consumed.

He noted that the reforms were designed to ease the burden on hardworking Nigerians, while ensuring that everyone contributed fairly.

Issa-Onilu, who was represented by Director, General Services in NOA, Mrs. Rebecca Nasamu, explained that the tax reforms bills “are four different bills that seek to bring everything about taxation and administration of tax in Nigeria under four different pieces of legislation.”

He listed the bills as the Nigeria Tax Bill; The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill; The Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill and Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill.

Issa-Onilu said: “The Nigeria Tax Bill is where all major taxes imposed on individuals and companies are clearly stated as well as the rates. The bill is just like a compendium of taxes charged in Nigeria.

“The Nigeria Tax Bill, basically amalgamated all the existing laws in which provisions for taxation was made. When passed, the bill will lead to the repeal of 11 laws that contain provisions on imposition and collection of taxes.”

On how the tax reforms would benefit Nigerians, he said government was working to stop different levels of authority from taxing people for the same thing and ensuring that those “earning very little pay little or no taxes, helping them manage their finances better.”
|SituationReport|