Dr. Ghali Mustafa Tijjani, a member of the House of Representatives, has strongly opposed the proposed tax reform bills being considered by the National Assembly.
In an interview in Abuja, Tijjani, who represents the Gaya/Albasu/Ajingi area of Kano State as part of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), cautioned that these tax reforms would make life harder for ordinary Nigerians.
He argued that the bills are “capitalistic in nature” and would render Nigerians poorer. Tijjani suggested that the government should look for other ways to raise revenue for the country instead of increasing taxes on Nigerians.
The lawmaker emphasized the importance of the government to block revenue leakages and use the large amounts of minerals found in the country to reach their goal. He also suggested giving Nigerians a break from taxes, saying that the current economic situation doesn’t allow for more taxes to be added.
Tijjani disagreed with the idea that low-income earners would be protected from the effects of the new tax changes. He said that the current government’s policies haven’t helped the poor and that the new tax changes would only make things worse.
The politician strongly opposed the plan to raise the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 7.5% to 10%, and then to 15% by 2030. He said this increase would still affect regular people, even though some income groups would be exempt.
Tijjani also worried about how the country’s resources are being used, pointing to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project as an example of “unneeded spending.” He argued that the government should focus on small-scale businesses and skills development to create employment opportunities for Nigerians.
The Northern Governors Forum (NGF) also has doubts about the proposed tax changes, and Tijjani supports their stance. He urged the government to focus on the well-being of Nigerians and look for other ways to generate revenue instead of raising taxes on struggling population.
