A Reform And A People

BY TAJUDEEN A TIJJANI

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: The need for a robust and healthy discussions among Nigerians over the controversy that trailed the Federal Government new tax reform bills have been emphasized.

Participants at a one day annual general meeting of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) held in Kaduna last week Saturday, agreed that the bills, if properly executed will help the nation to recover from the current economic problems.

They however noted that the government has not done enough in terms of publicity and information, most especially on the ordinary dwellers on the benefits of the controversial bills, now before the National Assembly.

They suggested an all out aggressive information and educative enlightenment in some nation’s local languages at the local level, to disabuse the mind’s of the people on the campaign going on against the Tax Reform’s Bills, urging the authority to use local leaders and traditional institution’s to carry out the sensitisation.

Participants noted that lacks of awareness and proper goverment enlightenment on the bills gave way to the furore and rages among Nigerians, most especially those who attached politics to the success of the bills.

It is the believe of some of the attendees that the bills are one of the best policy that has ever been contemplated by any goverment since 1999, and must be carefully guarded and executed for the benefits of all citizens, irrespective of political parties affiliation. The authority should not leave any room for the waillers to introduce divide and rule into the issue, capable of rocking the unity of the country, and polarized the polity

Various speakers from different backgrounds, including notable Clergymen, front line politicians, and intellectuals from different citadel of knowledge, spoke eloquently on the new bills, and appealed to the Federal Government not to relent in its proper execution, and also be sensitive to various opinions.

Although, it was a gathering of who’s who in the nation’s project, the authority will do well to study their contributions, which can douse the tension that followed the introduction of the tax reform bills, which has attracted many attacks by some people, whose perception of the bills, were negative, and with the erroneous believe that, it was intended to stifled the economic growth of a certain region.

As good as the new tax reform bills may prove to be, another fear expressed, is the civil service delay in many of such bills in the past, which led to their failures.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris who chaired the occasion, commended the Kaduna State Chapter of the NIPR, for been the first to see the necessity for the timely gathering of Nigerians from all levels, to brainstorm over the government policy, and urged other organizations and institutions to emulate the Institution, most importantly the fourth estate of the realms, in order to take the lead in educating and enghlighing the people on government policies.

The Minister told the gathering, that the present goverment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu mean well for the entire nation, adding that no part of Nigeria will be left behind in the collective development of the country, or be sidelines in any goverment policy.

According to the Minister, the Federal Government will not do anything to undermine any part of the country, or see one as inferior to the other. He explained that President Tinubu will not do anything that will injured democracy at all levels, and urged the citizens to continue to have confidence in the activities of the government, geared toward their safety and good living, under a very conducive atmosphere, he added.

The Minister called on the nation’s intellectuals and stakeholders, mostly, in the field of economy, to thoroughly study the proposed bills, and come out with a way out of our economic unhealthy situation.

In his contributions, Sheikh Ahmed Mahmoud Gumi said he had taken time to read the documents, and convinced that if properly executed will go a long way to save the country from economic collapse. According to the clergyman, there are no reasons for any part of the country to exercise any fear of marginalisation over the bills, but see the bills as a clarion call on all the parts of the country to stand up and collectively develop the entire country.

Reverend Joseph Hayab in his contributions, said the government came late to sensitise the citizens over the bills, hence the bad publicity the bills attracted from certain parts of the country. He said bills like the one in discussion needs to be publicize all over the country, even in local languages, for the ordinary citizens to understand and know the benefits. He advised people in the North to wake up and seize the opportunity offered by the bills to turn the North God given wealth around for development.

Senator Shehu Sani said the Northern Region will benefit immensely in new tax reform bills, if they put their house in or
and turn the North to an el-dorado for other parts to be envious of and stopped blaming others for their woes.

He rebuked some elected officials from the North who have failed to help the zone, only to wait for monthly allocations from the Federal Government, and refused to assist in the development of the area.

According to him, the North is sitting on numerous wealth, which requires urgent development and to be explore for the benefits of the people.

Kaduna State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney general, Mallam Suleiman Shuaibu (SAN) who represents Governor Uba Sani at the occasion, said the state under the present administration, has vigorously embarked on many reform’s, similar to the one of the Federal Government new reform’s, to assist the people of the state and better the lives of the citizenry. He thanked the organizers of the event for chosing Kaduna for the ceremony.

At the end of the programme, a five man committee of Panelists, discussed the topic of the program, and concluded that the government reform bills before the national assembly is the only way out to save the nation’s economy from collapse, if followed to the letter.