Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has called on the National Assembly to suspend ongoing debates on the tax reform bills, including the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024.
Pantami in a statement on his Facebook page Tuesday asked the lawmakers to allow for wider consultations with relevant stakeholders.
The four tax reform bills successfully passed their second reading in the Senate on Thursday and were referred to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Senator Sani Musa of Niger East, for further legislative action, including a public hearing.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio also directed the committee to ensure the involvement of the National Economic Council (NEC), the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the public hearing process.
The bills include the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB.583), the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB.584), the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024 (SB.585), and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 (SB.586).
Pantami, who recently returned from speaking at the World Halal Summit 2024 in Turkiye, expressed concerns over several provisions of the bills that could have significant implications for tax collection and governance.
While acknowledging the potential of the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill to transform tax collection administration, Pantami pointed out critical issues, including the lack of clear definitions in key sections of the bill.
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He warned that these ambiguities could lead to challenges in implementation, with regulatory bodies potentially exploiting unclear provisions.
Pantami advised the lawmakers to temporarily suspend legislative action on the bills, emphasising that some of the challenges could not be resolved by the legislature alone. He stressed that the ability to revise decisions in leadership was a sign of intelligence and empathy, rather than weakness.
Pantami further recommended that the bills undergo broader consultations, particularly involving tax, constitutional, and business lawyers, to address ambiguities and improve the legislation.
He specifically highlighted several sections of the bills that require attention, including Section 3(3), Section 7(6), Section 8(2), Section 23, Section 28, and others related to the supremacy clause.
Pantami urged the government to prioritize national interest over personal agendas and work to rebuild the trust between citizens and the government.
He highlighted that the deteriorating relationship between the two had contributed to a climate of suspicion, emphasising the need for objective and critical discussions on national issues.
