The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) could be dissolved if the four Tax Reform Bills currently under consideration by the National Assembly are passed into law,leadership reports.
This was revealed by Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, during an appearance on Sunday Politics, a Channels TV program monitored by our correspondent on Sunday night.
According to LEADERSHIP, the Bills in question are the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB.583), Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB.584), Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024 (SB.585), and Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 (SB.586). Governor Zulum emphasized that neither he nor other Northern governors oppose President Bola Tinubu’s initiative but are advocating for broader dialogue and adequate consultation to ensure the legislations do not disadvantage certain regions.
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“This is a democratic setting; we need more time. Some people have told the President that governors are against him. We didn’t say anything like that. I respect the President and understand his powers, but if he pushes these Bills through, there will be consequences for the people,” Zulum said.
The governor expressed concerns about certain provisions in the Bills, particularly the restructuring of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to become the sole tax collection agency nationwide. He questioned whether the FIRS has the capacity to execute such a broad mandate effectively.
Zulum further highlighted specific clauses, explaining that by 2029, TETFund, NASENI, and NITDA would be scrapped due to changes in corporate contributions mandated by the proposed laws. “These are some of the issues we are concerned about,” he said.
He also warned that if the Bills are enacted, 34 states in the Federation could face financial disadvantages, with Lagos and Rivers States emerging as the primary beneficiaries. “Let them present facts and figures to convince us,” Zulum urged, cautioning that forcing the Bills into law without consensus could have significant repercussions for Nigerians.
It should be noted that President Tinubu submitted the four executive Bills to the National Assembly in October. On November 28, the Bills passed their second reading in the Senate, while the House of Representatives is set to debate them on Tuesday.
