Northern Coalition Threatens Protest over Tax Reform Bills

John Shiklam in Kaduna

A coalition of northern groups, operating under the umbrella of the Forum for Growth and Development of Arewa (FGDA), has strongly criticised the backing of the new tax reform initiative by some northern leaders and threatened to stage a protest on Wednesday against what they term “Anti-North bills.”

The coalition expressed its dissatisfaction with the proposed tax reforms after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu transmitted the Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Bill to the Senate. The bill is designed to streamline tax collection, ensure compliance, and optimise revenue. However, the FGDA has raised concerns that the implementation of the bill will disproportionately affect the northern region, economically and commercially.

In a statement issued in Kaduna and signed by the group’s Convener, Jibrin Mohammed, the coalition announced its plans to protest, aiming to send a strong message to President Tinubu and members of the National Assembly that the proposed bills are “rejected and unacceptable.”

“We have consulted widely and carried out investigations into the proposed tax reform bills and discovered that their implementation will economically disadvantage the northern region,” the statement read.

The group condemned the endorsement of the controversial tax reform by certain northern figures, arguing that it fails to address the region’s existing developmental challenges and the significant economic disparities between the North and South.

“The tax reform will disproportionately affect the economic livelihoods and aspirations of our people, especially given the current harsh economic conditions in the country,” the coalition added.

While acknowledging that the tax reform may offer benefits to southern regions, the FGDA emphasised that the average northerner is already struggling with extreme poverty, insecurity, unemployment, and inadequate infrastructure.

“The North is facing multiple challenges, including insecurity, severe poverty, and a lack of basic infrastructure. Any policy that will further impoverish our people will be met with strong resistance,” the coalition warned.

The group has called on northern youths and citizens to join the protest to halt further action on the tax reform bills, stressing that the North cannot afford any more policies that worsen its already dire situation.