The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, had said the National Assembly would conduct an open debate on the tax reform bills before it for the input of Nigerians.
Adaramodu, who said the majority of those criticising the bill in the media had not seen it and acting based on the belief that anything tax-related was to place a burden on the people, said, “I don’t see anything retrogressive in the tax reform bills.”
The senator representing the Ekiti South Senatorial District spoke to journalists at his Ilawe Ekiti hometown on Saturday after the Ilawe Unity Day celebration and launch of a N500 million support fund for the commencement of operations of the community’s teaching hospital.
Recall that criticisms have trailed the tax reform bills forwarded to the National Assembly by the Presidency, noting that tax increases would deepen the poverty among Nigerians.
But Adaramodu said, “Have those criticising the tax reform bill seen them? A tax reform bill that is going to exclude low-income earners from paying — are you going to say that one is retrogressive? A tax reform bill that is going to make sure that there is no double or multiple taxation. I don’t see anything that is retrogressive about the tax reform bills.
“Let Nigerians wait, we are going to conduct an open debate about it. We will call a public hearing in the National Assembly and everybody is free to come there to present his or her own view; then the aggregate of those views is going to be what the National Assembly will consider in taking position.
“The only new area that is there is about Value Added Tax, which is based on consumption. So, where we have a high population and they consume a lot of commodities, definitely, such a place will generate more VAT. Then, it is believed and it is equitable and fair that those people that pay more of VAT should enjoy more.”
The Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Adebanji Alabi, expressed joy over the successful celebration of Ilawe Unity Day and the developments witnessed in the kingdom since his ascension to the throne.
The monarch said, “With the support of my people, we have gotten a Federal College of Education, a teaching hospital annexe, a high court, a magistrate court, a general hospital and good access roads to leave from not less than five neighbouring towns, including the state capital, Ado Ekiti. I pray that many more will come.”
The monarch equally thanked the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji “for his vision in making all our roads motorable. For example, the governor made llawe to Erinjiyan, Ilawe to Igede, Ilawe to Ado-Ekiti motorable. The tarring of Ilawe to Ikere Road is ongoing. We are grateful for these. We also thank the governor for supporting the state general hospital along Ilawe-Ikere Road,” among other appreciations.