The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has constituted a committee of experts to study the proposed tax reform bills before the National Assembly and make appropriate recommendations for forwarding to appropriate government organs.
According to the group, the current debates on the proposed tax reform by the National Economic Council and other critical stakeholders suggest that not enough consultations went into preparing the bills.
“ACF accepts that periodic public policy reforms are in line with the political and public administrative processes, in which regards reforms are indeed necessary and desirable. Nothing in the life of any community is static and policies must try to address emerging challenges, take advantage of new opportunities, etc,” the statement read.
Furthermore, the forum noted that the apparent impatience by supporters of the bills, especially the Federal Government to have them speedily processed through the Senate, creates and sustains impressions of specific but unstated underlying interests.
The forum commended the Senate for electing wider consultations with relevant stakeholders to address areas of concern in the bills.
It urged all citizens and every interest group to cooperate with the relevant Senate Committee tasked with the assignment. It also called for restraint, decorum and mutual respect in any discussions of provisions in the proposed bills as, in accordance with the timeless adage, no one has a monopoly of knowledge and/or wisdom.