News
Senate meets FG team, plans public hearing on Tax bills
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Senate and the Federal Government’s team, led by the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), finally met on Monday to iron out the grey areas in the four Tax Reform Bills sent by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly.
Amid the controversy generated by the bills, the President had last year expressed his willingness for a review, directing that the AGF should meet with the legislators to iron out grey areas.
The two teams met on Monday behind closed doors for over two hours.
Emerging from the meeting, Senator Abba Moro, who chairs the Senate’s ad hoc committee on tax reforms, said the discussions were fruitful, with significant progress made, while also hinting at a public hearing soon.
He said, “We interfaced with the AGF, the RMAFC Chairman, and the FIRS Chairman to evaluate the contentious points regarding the tax bills. We have agreed to streamline the processes to ensure the final law serves the interest of all Nigerians.”
Moro said the upcoming public hearing would provide an opportunity for broader stakeholder engagement.
“We are now working towards synthesising input from all parties, and we are optimistic about finalizing the process soon,” he added.
The Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, expressed optimism about the bills passing legislative scrutiny, noting that the meeting had resolved all previously identified concerns.
“All grey areas were clarified today. The AGF, lawmakers, and we, the operators, are now aligned. We’re confident the laws will meet the expectations of Nigerians,” Adedeji said.
The proposed reforms include the Nigeria Tax Bill, Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
These bills aim to overhaul the nation’s tax system to enhance efficiency and revenue collection.
The bills, which passed second reading in the Senate on November 28, 2024, have drawn significant attention due to their potential impact on Nigeria’s fiscal landscape. With the planned public hearing, the Senate seeks to ensure the final legislation reflects diverse perspectives and garners broad support.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s family residence in Kogi was reportedy invaded by gunmen around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, April 16, leaving damaged windows but no injuries.
The incident happened at her hometown residence in Obeiba-Ihima, located in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Sources familiar with the event said the attackers arrived around 1:00 a.m. Armed with cutlasses and guns, they damaged parts of the building, smashing windows and causing panic in the area. At least three men were involved in the attack.
Senator Natasha’s Chief Security Officer, Yakubu Ovanja, quickly informed the appropriate security agencies.
In response, officers from the Okehi Police Division rushed to the scene.
Although nobody was hurt and no suspects have been arrested yet, security officials recorded the extent of the damage and launched a preliminary investigation.
The reason behind the attack is still unknown, and as of now, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has not released any official statement. She represents Kogi Central in the Senate and is known as a vocal figure in Nigerian politics.
According to Zagazola Makama, police are still trying to figure out what motivated the attackers and are working to find those responsible.
The communities came under simultaneous attacks just a day after the killing of 11 persons at Otobi Community also in Otukpo LGA.
Benue has in the past decade experienced incessant attacks.
Suspected herdsmen have again stepped up violent attacks as no fewer than three communities in the Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State were attacked on Wednesday.
The communities affected during the fresh attacks include Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju all in Otukpo where five persons were killed in February. The communities came under simultaneous attacks just a day after the killing of 11 persons at Otobi Community also in Otukpo LGA.
Local sources confirm that several people may have been feared dead again in the fresh attack.
Wednesday’s attack came hours after Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed the arrest of three suspected herders in connection with the invasion of Otobi village on Tuesday night.
When contacted, Otukpo LGA Chairman, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attack on the three communities, saying that the attackers stormed the communities at the time when the Commissioner of Police was still at the Ochidoma Palace over the previous day’s attack on Otobi.
He added that three people sustained injury in the attacks on the three communities, leading to women and children abandoning the communities for fear of being killed.
“Only young men were in the communities when the attackers arrived. The prompt response from combined security operatives made the attackers flee and none of them were arrested,” Ogiri stated.
The police spokesperson in the state, Sewuese Anene, was yet to confirm details of the attacks on the three communities.
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