By Ezekiel Dontinna
The Plateau State Acting Chairperson, Gender and Equal Opportunity Commission, Barr. Olivia Dazem, has encouraged Coalition of Northern Group (CNG) Women Wing, to take a harder look at the opposition again and begin to look out for the positive and good aspects of the tax reform.
She stated this recently, while speaking as the Guest Speaker with the theme: “The Position Of The Nigerian Leaders Women On The Controversial Tax Reform Bills” at the One Day National Women Conference organised by CNG Women Wing, held at Odilin’s Events Centre Jos, the Plateau State capital.
The Gender Commission Chairperson, noted that the former sharing system of revenue has the federal government getting 55%, but the current one being proposed has changed the whole thing.
According to her understanding based on the proposed tax reform, 10% would be for federal government, 55% for states while 35% would be for the local government areas.
“My little understanding means that more will come to the states. More will also go to the local government areas and little will go to federal government.
“It gives me some cause for concern because it means that federal government will take a harder look at some of those things that they are keeping in Abuja.
“And if that is the case, I would want to use this opportunity to call on our leaders in CNG to take a harder look at the opposition again and begin to look out for the good aspects of the reform”, Dazem advised.
She, called on Northern women to support the reform if it was going to make critical issues like food items, health, education not taxable to them and their children.
The Gender Expert, therefore, encouraged Northern Nigerian women to be more concerned about this bill and the good things found in those bills so that, they could all be on one page saying, “if the bill will help in promoting good governance, Northern Nigerian women should support it”.
Earlier, the National Director Women Affairs, Nankling Pamala Nanle, said the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) in response to some doubts and concerns in the North, wished to draw the attention of the Tax Reform Committee on the following areas:
“The trust deficit in the North, in respect to the tax reform deal, which seems to ignore the highest concentration of the informal sector in the North.
“They have little or no idea of the details of the deal. The bulk of traders and farmers in the North, largely women, are always marginalized and manipulated by the so-called middlemen.
“I just don’t know, but hoping that this tax reform bill will probably define and integrate the benefits of this bill, that is why we are calling for direct consultation”, she reiterated.
On his part, the National Coordinator, Coalition of Northern Groups, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanch, disclosed that CNG has been going around to advocate or enlighten people on what the bill was all about.
He said, “our position is very clear. Our position is not different from that of the National Economic Council, the Northern Governors Forum, the Traditional Rulers
“We emphasize that more time is needed. Consultations should be made because we believe that the principles of democracy is consultation.
“Chances should be given for this effort for people to look into the bill, if it is otherwise, there should be a clear definition in terms of that bill”, Charanch highlighted.
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