President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Justice and the National Assembly to address concerns raised about the Tax Reform Bills currently before the Parliament.
Tinubu's transmission of the Tax Reform Bills to the National Assembly has sparked widespread criticism, with the most vocal opposition coming from the northern part of Nigeria. The move has also caused tensions between the president and some governors.
While some critics argued that the bills were biased against the northern region, others contended that they could further impoverish Nigerians.
To address the concerns, President Tinubu has instructed the Justice Ministry to review the issues raised and collaborate with the leadership of the National Assembly to fine-tune the Bills.
In a statement issued to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said, "It is pertinent to state that the government has nothing sinister to warrant the suggestion that the process is being rushed.
"In line with the established legislative procedure, the Federal Government welcomes meaningful inputs that can address whatever grey areas there may be in the bill."
He added that President Tinubu has already directed the Federal Ministry of Justice and relevant officials involved in drafting the bills to work closely with the National Assembly to ensure that all genuine concerns were addressed before the Bills are passed.
According to him, the president remains committed to accountability and views the debates surrounding the bills as both "welcome and commendable."
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"It is very inspiring to see Nigerians from all walks of life coming out to express their views and opinions on these matters of critical national importance," he said. "This is the very essence and meaning of democracy."
He also emphasised the need for civility in public discourse, stating, "In the spirit of democratic engagement, there should be no room for name-calling or the injection of unnecessary ethnic and regional slurs into this important national conversation."
Although some of the arguments against the bills are that they were targeted at impoverishing some states, the minister has dismissed the claim which he labeled as "fake news" and " misinformation."
"The fiscal reforms will not impoverish any state or region of the country, nor will they lead to the scrapping or weakening of any federal agencies," he added.
