Bill To Increase VAT Passes Second Reading — But Senators Don’t Know Its Details

A bill seeking to raise value-added tax (VAT) to 7.5% from 5%
has passed second reading at the senate — but not without some
drama.

The federal executive council (FEC) approved an increase in VAT
in September.

The bill entitled: ‘Nigeria tax and fiscal law, 2019’, is
sponsored by Yahaya Abdullahi, senate majority leader.

After Abdullahi moved a motion for the commencement of debate on
the bill and read his lead paper, some senators complained that
they did not know what the proposed legislation entails because
they did not have copies of it.

Binos Yaroe, senator representing Adamawa south, raising a point
of order, drew the attention of Senate President Ahmad Lawan to the
fact that they did not have copies of the bill.

Yaroe said according to senate rules, every senator is meant to
have copies of it.

“Our rules say that printed copies of the bill shall as soon as
possible be sent to every senator,” he said.

“We are at the stage of the second reading of this bill. I don’t
know for others but I have not received the bill, I don’t know how
we can debate a bill that we have not received.”

Lawan noted his point but said the debate on it will still go
on.

“We are at this point going to debate the general principles of
the bill and in line with our tradition, convention here, even the
appropriations bill that we debate, we don’t have the bill
normally,” he said.

Betty Apiafi, senator representing Rivers west, also raised the
same concern, but the senate president said: “When the senate
committee on finance reports this, the bill will be made available
and we can compare with what we are amending.”

He then ruled her out of order.

Earlier, the senate leader said the bill is seeking five
objectives.

“The bill has five strategic objectives, the first one is to
promote fiscal equity by mitigating instances of regressive
taxation. The second one is to reform domestic tax laws to align
with global best practices,” Yahaya said.

“The third is to introduce tax incentives for investment in
infrastructure. The fourth objective is to support ongoing ease of
doing business reforms and the fifth objective is to raise revenues
for government including proposal to increase the value added tax
(VAT) from 5% to 7.5%.”

He added that the bill when passed will amend the company tax
CAP C21 laws of the federation of Nigeria 2004, VAT CAP 4 2007,
customs and excise tariff act CAP C49 laws of the federation,
personal income tax E8 laws of the federation, capital gains tax
act CAP C1 laws of the federation, stock duty act 58 laws of the
federation and petroleum profit tax law.

Boko Haram: CISA Cautions Over Extra-Judicial Killing
Viral Video
Amid reactions from the general public over the recent killings of
suspected Boko Haram fighters by Nigerian soldiers, PRNigeria^[1] gathered that those
killed in viral videos were members of the dreaded slaughter gang
of the sect who derived joy in dismembering their captured
victims.

The insurgents also belong to a terror gang which specializes in
abducting and raping innocent female victims including pregnant
women.

Just recently, a member of the gang who was caught by troops in
Borno, confessed in the participation of stripping of female
security personnel naked before skinning the victims alive.

But in the wake of the reaction from some quarters of the brutal
killing of Boko Haram fighters, a civil social group Citizens’
Initiative for Security Awareness (CISA) said the killing of the
terrorists is nothing compared to the barbaric and murderous
activities of Boko Haram fighter.

In a statement signed by National Coordinator, Chidi Omeje and
North-East Coordinator, Aliyu Ibrahim,

He said Boko Haram have not only killed troops of the Army and
launched attacked military bases, but have also killed and attacked
innocent civilians.

The group emphasized the need for the military to conduct
psychiatrist test for traumatized soldiers as part of healing their
emotional scars after witnessing the death and recovery of their
compatriots in the North-East.

The statement reads; “Citizens’ Initiative for Security
Awareness (CISA) urges caution and introspection in handling the
trending video purportedly showing personnel of the Nigerian Army
engaging in extra-judicial killing of a suspected Boko Haram
terrorist.
“As condemnable as what was displayed in the video is, CISA
believes that apart from denouncing the action of the soldiers for
‘displaying unprofessional conduct’, it also calls for a thorough
understanding of the psychology of the soldiers that were caught on
tape.

“While not in any conceivable way endorsing the action of the
said soldiers, CISA believes that a closer look at the dynamics and
trajectory of the battle against Boko Haram terrorists in the NE,
will reveal a consistent brutal assault on the psychology of our
fighting forces by the mindless, blood-thirsty Boko Haram terrorist
who are not restrained by any law or convention in their conduct.
Troops deployed to theater of battle in NE have had to endure the
sight of unspeakable ruthlessness meted to their captured
colleagues and even civilians by the Boko Haram elements.

“To a large extent, the circulation of gory pictures and videos
of decapitated Nigerian soldiers especially on foreign media
platforms has more or less become a tool of psychological torture
often deployed by the terrorists against our fighting forces. In
some way, the soldiers being human and exposed to such constant
abuse, are likely to force the same bitter pill down the throat of
their adversary. That might run counter to their professionalism
but that is the underlying psychology behind the unacceptable
action.

“As a professional institution that is guided by rules of
engagement and ethics of the job, the Nigerian Army has never
hidden its aversion to extra-judicial actions such as was shown in
the video. It is therefore good enough that the authorities of the
NA have come to openly dissociate itself from the unprofessional
act and promised to thoroughly investigate the video with the aim
of sanctioning the perpetrators.

“While commending the military authority for their prompt
denunciation of the unacceptable act, CISA also suggest that it
should consider stamping its feet against the use of smart phones
by unauthorized persons at the theater of operation. This will
ensure a proper control of information and communication from the
theatre. Finally, CISA urges Nigerians, especially the media, to
provide support t to the Nigerian military in their determined
effort to rid Nigeria of terrorists, militias, bandits and sundry
criminality.”

By PRNigeria^[2]