VAT: Kogi opposes Rivers, Lagos, says states should stop thinking about themselves

Kogi State State government said it would not join Rivers and Lagos states in pushing for the retention of Value-Added Tax (VAT) in states.

Commissioner of Information, Kingsley Fanwo stated his government’s position during an appearance on Arise Television which was monitored on Friday by Tribune Online in Lokoja

He said despite the advantages Kogi had on VAT, Governor Yahaya Bello was against it because the potentials of states across the country were not equal.

“The position of governor Yahaya Bello on this is very clear; we will not jump on that bandwagon to call for the retention of VAT completely in the state. We are not created equally, and God that created us did not give us equal potentials, and we have to support one another,” he said.

“Kogi is bordered by about 10 states of the federation and a gateway to the north, south, to everywhere. And you know that thousands of vehicles transverse the state on a daily basis. It’s the mineral capital of Nigeria. When you look at our advantages, we should even be at the forefront of fighting for VAT to be completely retained in the state.”

He called on states that were already thinking of following the steps of Rivers and Lagos States to start thinking about the nation instead of thinking about themselves.

There have been controversies over VAT after a Port Harcourt Federal High Court, in its judgment last month, held that the Rivers State government had the powers to collect VAT within its territory.

The judgement has since pitched the Rivers State government against the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), who has appealed the judgement at the Court of Appeal.

On Thursday, the Lagos State House of Assembly empowered the state government to start collecting VAT.

Although there are concerns that the furore the judgement has created might be sending the wrong signals to investors, some Nigerians believe that it is laying the foundation for fiscal federalism.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…Kogi opposes Rivers  Kogi opposes Rivers

Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train

The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…Kogi opposes Rivers  Kogi opposes Rivers