By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of Kaduna State, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, has yet again urged the National Assembly to add value-added tax (VAT) on the Exclusive List giving the federal government legislative control over 7.5 per cent consumption tax paid when goods are purchased, and services are rendered.
Speaking in Abuja at the second edition of the Distinguished Parliamentarian Lecture organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Mr El-Rufai said that VAT was necessary for the survival of Nigeria.
He explained that this is coming now that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has not remitted a single Dollar into the federation account this year.
He joins a host of governors that have made the call after the National Assembly earlier this year rejected a bill seeking to include VAT in the Exclusive List.
The move followed a protracted legal tussle between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Rivers State Government over VAT collection and personal income tax (PIT) in the state.
Arguing his position, he said, “Value Added Tax has become a major source of survival for this country because this year, the NNPC has not brought a penny to the federation account.
“We have been relying on taxes, particularly Value Added Tax and the fact that Value Added Tax is not on the exclusive list is a major source of concern for the fiscal health of the federation, and I think this National Assembly can do something about in its last six months.”
Mr El-Rufai also urged the National Assembly to make happen state and community policing to solve Nigeria’s multifarious security challenges.
“We are all clear now that the current policing system is broken and cannot work for Nigeria, and Nigeria is the only federation in the world with one centralised policing system. I think this National Assembly can enact state policing,” he stated.
Modupe Gbadeyanka