A Northern group, Arewa Think Tank (ATT), has warned against the spread of false information regarding the position of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
ATT expressed its concern over the actions of certain individuals who have disseminated misleading information on social media, falsely claiming that the RMAFC has opposed President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills currently under consideration by the National Assembly.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, the Convener of Arewa Think Tank, expressed satisfaction that the Commission has denied the misinformation.
He also praised President Tinubu’s vision for implementing tax reforms to address Nigeria’s fiscal challenges.
“We at Arewa Think Tank wish to strongly caution mischief makers on social media to stop spreading fake news which claims that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has strongly opposed President Bola Tinubu’s contentious tax reform bills, which are currently before the National Assembly for consideration, citing alleged constitutional breaches.
“From our own finding, this is completely mischievous news that was credited to the RMAFC just to cause disharmony between the Commission and President Tinubu just for selfish interests.
“It is important to know that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) acknowledges and appreciates the vision of His Excellency, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR, the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria in his transformational efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in advancing tax reforms to address Nigeria’s fiscal challenges.
“We are happy that the Commission has commended His Excellency for his innovative ideas and steadfast commitment to repositioning the revenue base of the country.
“We know that the Commission as the revenue mobiliser for the three tiers of government, appreciates the submission of the four proposed bills, which reflect the President’s visionary leadership in enhancing the nation’s fiscal stability.
“It is very clear that the proposed bills will significantly bolster the Commission’s efforts and the nation’s capacity for domestic revenue mobilization. They will help integrate untapped revenue sources, including contributions from the informal sector, into the tax net.
“In addition, these reforms will enhance Nigeria’s revenue-to-GDP ratio, positioning the country more favourably among nations with high fiscal performance.
“What more, the Commission therefore expresses its full support for the proposed legislation and is confident they will serve as a pivotal step toward elevating Nigeria’s revenue generation and financing sustainable development.
“It is interesting that RMAFC has insisted that it is its remit to produce formulae for sharing revenues, including the Value Added Tax (VAT). And it has submitted a memorandum to the National Assembly on the ongoing debates on the Tax Reform Bills, and cautioned against amending the VAT sharing formula without its constitutional input.
“The National Assembly is deliberating on four proposed bills under the Tax Reform and Fiscal Policy Bill.
“Only the RMAFC has the mandate to produce formulae for sharing revenues, including VAT. Any deviation from this constitutionally backed process is both inappropriate and potentially unconstitutional.”
“The mischief makers have out of imagination said that the Commission warned that the proposed tax reform bills threaten national unity and constitutional harmony. By adhering to its constitutional mandate, RMAFC believed it can provide an equitable solution to revenue allocation disputes while safeguarding the principles of fairness and justice. This is a great misrepresentation of what RMAFC stands for in the Tax Reform bills before the National Assembly”.
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