Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged the national assembly to prioritise transparency and equity in deliberations on President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills, emphasising that Nigerians are united in their demand for reforms that do not exacerbate the nation’s uneven development.
In a post on X on Sunday, Atiku said the public hearing process must facilitate open and inclusive participation by all stakeholders.
SYMFONI NEWS recalls that the Senate passed four tax reform bills proposed by President Bola Tinubu for a second reading on November 28.
Although the proposed legislations continue to face strong opposition from northern Nigeria’s elites, the upper chamber is expected to hold a public hearing on the bills in the coming weeks.
Lending his voice to the debate, the former vice-president emphasised the need for objectivity and transparency in the conduct of the public hearing by the national assembly.
“I have followed the intense public discourse on the Tax Reform Bills with keen interest.
“Nigerians are united in their call for a fiscal system that promotes justice, fairness, and equity. They are loud and clear that the fiscal system we seek to promote must not exacerbate the uneven development of the federating units by enhancing the status of a few states while unduly penalising others.
“I call for objectivity and transparency in the conduct of the public hearing being organised by our representatives in the National Assembly. As a concerned stakeholder, I firmly believe that transparency and objectivity are essential for promoting accountability, good governance, and public trust in policy-making. The public hearing process must facilitate open and inclusive participation by all stakeholders, including Civil Society Organizations, traditional institutions, politicians, public officials, and subject matter experts.
“In this wise, I call on the NASS to revisit and make public the resolutions of the National Economic Council, a key stakeholder and an important organ of the state with the constitutional power to advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation.
“The NASS must be appropriately guided and ensure that in the final analysis, the contents of the Bills align with the interests of the vast majority of Nigerians,” Atiku stated.
