ACF Constitutes Committee To Study Bills On Tax Reform

The Arewa Consultative Forum has constituted a committee of experts to study the proposed tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly to come out with appropriate recommendations to be forwarded to appropriate organs of the government. This was contained in a statement on Thursday by the Forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba.

According to the ACF, the current debates on the proposed tax reform by the National Economic Council and other critical stakeholders actually suggested that not enough consultations went into the preparations of the bills. “ACF accepts that periodic public policy reforms are in line with the political and public administrative processes, in which regards reforms are indeed necessary and desirable. Nothing in the life of any community is static and policies must try to address emerging challenges, take advantage of new opportunities, etc,” the statement read.

Furthermore, the forum noted that the apparent impatience by supporters of the bills, especially the Federal Government to have them speedily processed through the Senate, creates and sustains impressions of specific but unstated underlying interests. The forum commended the Senate for electing wider consultations with relevant stakeholders to address areas of concern in the bills. It urged all citizens and every interest group to cooperate with the relevant Senate Committee tasked with the assignment. It also called for restraint, decorum and mutual respect in any discussions of provisions in the proposed bills as, in accordance with the timeless adage, no one has a monopoly of knowledge and/or wisdom.

“Debates have continued to rage on the pros and cons of the proposed bills, with positions being argued vehemently and stridently with passion. However, it is concerning that the emerging debates have become acrimonious, pitting sections of the country against each other. It is highly regretful that opinions have tended to involve unsavoury and often abusive words meant to denigrate, blackmail or intimidate anyone perceived, rightly or wrongly, as standing in support or opposing the bills or their specific aspects therefrom as are now under consideration in the Senate.