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Angry over recent open support of some northerners for the new tax reform initiative,Coalition of northern groups under aegis of Forum for Growth and Development of Arewa(FGDA) have fixed Wednesday to embark over the bills they described as “Anti-North”.
Accordingly to the Coalition , the decision to embark on the protest is to send a strong to message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of Senate and House of Representatives that the alleged”Anti North Bills” are rejected and unacceptable.
President Bola Tinubu has transmitted the Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Bill to the Senate. The proposed legislation is aimed at streamlining tax collection, ensuring compliance and optimising revenue.
But in a statement signed by the Convener made available to journalists in Kaduna today said, “We have consulted widely and carried out investigation about the proposed tax reform bills and discovered that the implementation would relatively affect and “relegate the northerner region economically and commercially.”
The group which condemned House of Representatives member, Abdulmumin Jibrin, representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State for his supportive stance and endorsement of the controversial tax reform bill, said his position on the tax reform is without consideration to our backwardness and development gap between South and North.
“We therefore submit that the tax reform will disproportionately affect the economic livelihoods and aspirations of our people, especially considering the current harsh economic reality in the country.” It stated.
While acknowledging that the proposed tax reform could be of significant interest or benefits to those in the South, the group insisted, “We make bold to inform this backing this anti-North bill remember that an average northern is suffering now and cannot afford to dragged beyond this point of poverty line.
“North is currently facing problems insecurity,severe poverty, unemployment, and dearth of infrastructure and any move to further create a policy that will improvish us will be met with resistance.
“We are therefore calling our youths and citizens from the region to join to stop further action on the tax reform bills.” The statement “
