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Group To Unveil Special Monitors, Volunteers, Ambassador For Census Sensitisation for 2023 Census
..Ex Senators, Professors, elder statesmen, others make list
Joel Ajayi
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the coordination of The Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) have agreed to set up a committee to search for eminent and credible Nigerians who will volunteer to serve as torchbearers in sensitising Nigerians on the need to actively participate in the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census.
Addressing newsmen after the Coalition’s inaugural meeting held on the 18th of January 2023 at Protea Hotel Hotel, Abuja, the spokesman for the Coalition , Joshua Gwebe who doubles as the Executive Secretary of organization informed the expectant members of the press community that the inter-agency advocacy strategy is all about sensitisation considering the importance of the census exercise to national development.
According to him, “as CSOs, our job is unique and straightforward. We are known advocate for the masses, especially the voiceless. It is our duty, albeit a difficult one to constructively criticise, commend and change policy directions for the good of Nigerians. Today, we are once again agreeing with one voice that we shall work together to support the federal government because of the overwhelming importance of census to our national life.”
Comrade Gwebe similarly shed light on the composition of CSO/interagency Advocacy Committee which will be the vehicle to drive the massive sensitisation exercise throughout the country, adding that a country wide sensitisation campaign cannot be successful without a formidable team.
“We intend to draw from a resourceful a pool of (35) eminent elder statesmen (former Senate presidents, Professor emeritus, religious leaders, eminent musical artists, sports men, eminent media practitioners, student union leaders, labour leaders. This committee is intended to serve as a bridge between the masses in all spheres of life and professions with far reaching impacts.
“The elders statesmen will work on honorary basis without payment as a mark of national service” he stated. Already consultations are ongoing and the result are very impressive. The outlook is good and we are positive that our efforts will yield results”.
The coalition finally enjoined the media to avail them their respective platforms for the promotion of the committee’s sensitisation efforts. In addition, the group called on all Nigerians to massively support the census exercise by participating and encouraging other to participate and support the NPC in any capacity possible.
Featured
Tax Reform Bill Passage: New Tax Laws, Better Nigeria
By Arabinrin Aderonke
Nigeria must work; this is the vision we have held onto for so long. When the news came that the Senate had passed all four tax reform bills, it was one of those moments you stop and ask yourself, is this really happening? For years, Nigeria’s tax system has been a source of frustration, something we all got used to criticizing. Truthfully, it was not just tax. From electricity to education to healthcare, we have long complained about the failure of government systems.
On top of that, Nigeria remained tied to the unstable global oil market, leaving us with unpredictable revenue and a shrinking ability to fund our future. That is exactly why we must keep believing in the idea of a new Nigeria. And this time, it is not just another round of promises, this is action.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu understood that to truly rebuild Nigeria, we needed a tax system that would create sustainable revenue, spread the burden fairly, and give every Nigerian, rich or poor, north or south, a reason to trust government again. That is what led to the introduction of the tax reform bills in 2024. It has taken months of serious policy work, consultation, and courage. Now, with the National Assembly passing all four bills, the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Nigeria Tax Administration (Procedure) Bill 2024, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill 2024, and the Joint Tax Board (Establishment) Bill 2024, we are seeing decisions that could finally loosen Nigeria’s dependence on oil and give states the resources they need to grow.
One of the features is the new VAT sharing formula. Under the proposed structure, 50 percent of Value Added Tax revenue will be shared equally among all states, 20 percent will be distributed based on population, and 30 percent will be distributed according to actual consumption. It is a formula designed to balance fairness with performance, giving each state a stake while also encouraging economic activity and good governance.
The Senate also made it known that the VAT rate will remain at 7.5 percent, resisting pressure to increase it. For Nigerians, that means no new burden added to goods and services. But more importantly, the bills approved also provided for the continued funding of development agencies such as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). These are the institutions that support learning, research, and innovation across the country, and their survival is necessary for the future of the Nigeria we all want.
Another part of the bill is the plan to turn the Federal Inland Revenue Service into the Nigeria Revenue Service (Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill). But this is not just a name change. It is a coordinated effort to build a system that supports states, strengthens local government revenue, and makes tax collection more transparent.
Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of FIRS, has led the redesign of the agency and introduced many measures aimed at improving tax collection across the country, and even these Tax Reform Bills are one. If anyone has earned respect in this space, it is him. His work shows that reforms are possible when people in charge are ready to do better.
As it stands, all four tax reform bills have been passed, and these laws are now in place. This means Nigeria has completed what many consider the most needed tax reform in years.
The process now moves to the harmonization stage, where both the Senate and House of Representatives will come together to resolve any differences in their versions of the bills. Once they reach an agreement, the bills will be sent to the President for his final approval. After the President signs them into law, they will be published in the official gazette, making them official. From there, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, which will be renamed the Nigeria Revenue Service, will take the lead in implementation. With the capable Tax Boss, Dr. Zacch, we can be sure that the results will exceed expectations.
This is the Renewed Hope Nigerians have been waiting for. The changes are here, these reforms give us the chance to do things right!
Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi is the technical assistant on broadcast media to the executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service
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