The Presidency has urged Nigerians to desist from the use of ethnic or regional slurs while commenting on the proposed tax reform bills before the National Assembly.
The warning was contained in a statement by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
President Bola Tinubu cautioned against the use of ethnic or regional slurs that could inflame tensions.
He stressed that the tax reform bills are designed to benefit all Nigerians irrespective of region or ethnicity.
Idris, described the proposed tax reform bills as pivotal to ensuring financial autonomy for states and local governments while addressing long-standing issues of resource allocation.
He said, “I call on all commentators and groups to keep up the spirit of informed engagement, and to strive to be respectful and understanding at all times despite the diversity of opinions. In the spirit of democratic engagement, there should be no room for name-calling, or for the injection of unnecessary ethnic and regional slurs into this important national conversation.
“Similarly, it is important to be aware that there is a lot of misinformation and fake news circulating around the tax bills and the overall reform agenda of the Tinubu Administration. The fiscal reforms will not impoverish any State or region of the country, neither will they lead to the scrapping or weakening of any federal agencies.”
Idris added, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is implementing an ambitious fiscal reform agenda that will devolve more resources to Nigeria’s State and Local Governments, and ultimately to the Nigerian people, in the spirif of harnessing democracy that works for the people.
“It is pertinent to state that the government has nothing sinister to warrant the suggestion that the process is being rushed. In line with the established legislative procedure, the Federal Government welcomes meaningful inputs that can address whatever grey areas there may be in the bill.”
The minister revealed that the president has directed the Federal Ministry of Justice to work with the National Assembly to address concerns being raised by Nigerians before the bills are passed.
The statement further reads, “We are indeed witnessing, at this moment in the history of Nigeria, the most far-reaching, impactful and beneficial set of fiscal reforms that Nigeria has seen in decades.
“In addition to the four tax bills being debated and deliberated upon, there is also the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on financial autonomy for local governments, which will significantly empower the tier of government that is closest to the Nigerian people.
“In all, these reforms will not only facilitate increased revenues (without imposing additional tax burdens on the people), they will also make it possible for citizens to demand and enjoy greater accountability in the management of public resources at all levels of government.”