We’re All For 2023 Presidency, VAT Collection By States – Southern Govs
The Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF) has thrown its weight behind current agitations for the region to produce Nigeria’s next President in 2023 and Value Added Tax (VAT) collection by the states.
Consequently, the Forum says there will be no backing down on its position that the South must produce the next President in line with politics of equity, justice, and fairness.
Rising from its meeting held at the Government House, Enugu on Thursday, September 16, 2021, the governors said they remain resolute in supporting the legal position canvassed by some States in the Court that collection of VAT falls within the States’ purview.
The meeting, which reviewed the state of the nation and the progress in the implementation of earlier decisions reached taken the Forum, also expressed satisfaction with the rate at which States in Southern Nigeria are enacting or amending the Anti-Open Grazing Laws in line with the realities of the present times.
According to the Forum, the position aligns with the uniform template and aspiration of Southern Governors, even as it encouraged the States that are yet to enact this law to do so expeditiously.
In a seven point-agenda issued at the end of its meeting, the SGF also “encouraged the full operationalization of already agreed regional security outfits; which would meet, share intelligence and collaborate, to ensure the security and safety of the region.”
Furthermore, the Forum reaffirmed its earlier commitment to fiscal federalism as resolved at the inaugural meeting of the Forum held on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, at Asaba, the Delta State capital.
It, therefore, urged all Southern states to leverage the legislative competence of their respective State Houses of Assembly as well as representation in the National assembly to pursue its inclusion in the Nigerian Constitution through the ongoing constitutional amendment.
Similarly, the governors expressed “satisfaction with the handling of issues around the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and ownership of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by the larger Nigerian Governors’ Forum.”
