Yerima outlines the reasons behind the North’s opposition to tax reform bills.
Shettima Yerima, the President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), has expressed concerns about how the Federal Government is handling the controversial tax reform bills currently being considered by the National Assembly.
In an interview with Saturday Vanguard, Yerima pointed out several problems with the government’s approach, such as not consulting enough, being unclear, and not involving the public, all of which he believes are major obstacles to gaining public support for the reforms.
Yerima explained that the opposition to the bill from the North is due to how the government presented it. He said that while the idea behind the tax reforms is good—especially considering the country’s situation—there was a lack of proper presentation, which led to the negative reactions. He also emphasized that the issue was politicized, making it appear as if the North was against tax reforms, which is not the case.
He suggested that the government should have consulted more, starting with the National Assembly, which could have then engaged with their local communities. This would have given the bill more legitimacy. Yerima expressed his hope that there would be a resolution, with the government and lawmakers agreeing to return to their constituencies for further consultation, making necessary amendments to pass the bill. He believes the controversy could have been avoided.
