Tax Reform Bill: We’re Open To Dialogue — Reps Southern Caucus

ABUJA — The Southern caucus of the House of Representatives said yesterday it was open to dialogue on the tax reform bills before parliament.

Leader of the caucus, Nicholas Mutu, who stated this while briefing journalists in Abuja, said the caucus had unanimously welcomed the bills and would be open to dialogue to address concerns contained in them.

Mutu said: “As Southern caucus of the House of Representatives, we have met and welcome the tax reform bills with so much excitement. At the right time, we’ll capture the people’s element that is missing in the bills.

“Yes, the bills are good for Nigeria and they are people-arranged bill. We have met as Southern caucus in the House of Representatives. We have met and we are open to dialogue.

“We have not gone beyond that. We are not saying we are supporting the bills, I didn’t say so. We are open to dialogue. This is just the first process. But just to inform you that we have received the bills, we welcome the bills.”

Responding further to questions on what the House would do as regards passing the bill, Fredrick Agbedi said: “It is the responsibility of the House of Representatives and Senate to receive proposals or any sort of bill from either the executive or individual bills. ‘’Once they are received, they go through the House procedures, processes, and then the public is invited. Here, Mr. President has signed an executive bill.

“What the Southern caucus is saying is that we are ready to take up our official responsibility of making laws for the nation. And so we welcome the bill and as we process them, inputs are made from our various states and constituencies.

“Some states have already received those inputs. And so we are in constant communication with our constituents and the states that we represent. So we are ready to work to ensure that we give a better tax law to Nigeria.

“That’s what we are interested in. It’s not to play to the gallery. There’s nothing about being southern or northern divide. The National Assembly’s responsibility is to make laws for this country. And the essence of making laws is to receive proposals.

‘’When you receive proposals, you put them through the crucible processes of lawmaking. At the end of the day, amendments, innovations will be brought into that proposal. And it will be passed by both houses and then the president will assent to whatever amendments that are done to his proposal. The caucus is ready to run with the proposal Mr. President has sent.

“Section 4 of the Constitution gives the responsibility of making laws for the good governance of the country to the National Assembly. Now, the National Assembly, as you are aware, has two arms, the Senate and the House of Reps.

“The rule of law says that your executive can present bills, and there are processes where those bills can be treated. Bills go through first reading, second reading. If it passes, we do our public hearing.’’

Speaking further on the bills, Babajimi Benson also said the House would properly scrutinize the bill, saying “at every point in time, there’s no bill that has a national outlook that there won’t be interest colliding one way or the other.

‘’But our job is to sit down with our brothers, find the middle course and I’ll go back to history. The derivative, the 13% that is being enjoyed today by oil producing states started with 50%. Recently, we did the PIB.

‘’We had issue with the host community bill as well. So there’s negotiation back and forth. At the end of the day, Nigerians will be better for it.

“Yes, negotiation is an act. We’ll sit down, go back and forth, exchange, make them see reason, we see reason, and we will all ensure this matter comes to a logical end. It will be in the interest of the people of Nigeria.