SOUTHERN GOVERNORS INSIST ON STATES COLLECTION OF VAT
Governors of Southern States of Nigeria, under the aegis of Southern Governors Forum (SGF), have resolved to support the position that the collection of Value Added Tax, VAT, falls within the powers of the states.
The position is part of the 6 point communique of the Forum that met in Enugu State Government House, Enugu on Thursday.
The Nigerian Southern Governors Forum (SGF) had met to review the state of the nation and the progress of implementation of the decisions reached in her previous meetings.
Reading the communiqué to journalists after the closed door meeting, the Governor of Ondo State and Chairman of the Forum, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), said the meeting reaffirmed the Southern Governors commitment to fiscal federalism as resolved at the inaugural meeting of the forum held on Tuesday 11 May, 2021 at Asaba, Delta State.
According to him, the forum emphasized the need for the Southern States to leverage on the legislative competence of their respective State Houses of Assembly, as well as representation in the National Assembly to pursue the inclusion of fiscal federalism in the Nigerian constitution, through the ongoing constitutional amendment.
“The meeting resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the States.”
Akeredolu said the forum expressed satisfaction with the rate at which the States in the Southern Nigeria are enacting or amending the Anti- Open Grazing Laws which align with the uniform template and aspiration of the Southern Governors and encouraged the States that are yet to enact this law to do so expeditiously.
The governors, according to him, reiterated their earlier position that the next President of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of the country in line with politics of equity, justice and fairness.
He stated that the forum resolved to encourage the full operationalisation of already agreed regional security outfits; which would meet, share intelligence and collaborate, to ensure the security and safety of the Southern region of Nigeria.
On the Petroleum Industry ACT (PIA), the chairman said the forum expressed satisfaction with the handling of issues around the PIA and ownership of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by the larger Nigerian Governors’ Forum.
The forum thanked the host Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the successful meeting and chose Rivers State as the next host for the Southern Governors Forum meeting in November, 2021.
Present at the meeting were the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike; Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; Chief Emmanuel Udom, Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Governor of Osun State, Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola.
Others were the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Governor of Bayelsa State, Duoye Diri; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and Governor Oluwaseyi Abiodun of Ogun State.
Oyo, Ekiti, Edo, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi States were represented by their Deputy Governors.
Kelvin Ebiri
Special Assistant (Media) Rivers State Governor
September 16, 2021
Full release is below.
STATES WILL COLLECT VAT – SOUTHERN GOVERNORS
Southern Governors met in Enugu on Thursday, declaring that it is within their purview to collect the Value Added Tax, VAT.
This is coming amid row between the Rivers State Government and the Federal Government, a case that is now subject of litigation.
The governors also reaffirmed their stand on open-grazing ban, urging every State in the region to quickly pass a law to that regards.
A communiqué after the meeting was read by Chairman of the Forum and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
Also present were Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta, Babajide Sanwolu, Lagos, Gbega Oyetola, Osun, Emmanuel Udom, Akwa Ibom, Nyesom Wike, Rivers, Dapo Abiodun, Ogun and the host Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
Deputy Governors present included Rauf Olaniyan, Oyo, Bisi Egbeyemi, Ekiti, Philip Shuaib, Edo, Ude Okochukwu, Abia, Kelechi Igwe, Ebonyi, Placid Njoku, Imo.
The communiqué read in full:
The Nigerian Southern Governors’ Forum at its meeting of today, Thursday, 16th September 2021 held in the Government House, Enuqu, Enugu State reviewea tne state or the nation and the progress of implementation of the decisions reached in her previous meetings and further
resolved as follows:
1. Expressed satisfaction with the rate at which the States in the Southern Nigeria are enacting or amending the Anti-Open Grazing Laws which align with the uniform template and aspiration of Southern Governors and encouraged the
States that are yet to enact this law to do so expeditiously.
2. 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.
3. Reaffirmed its earlier commitment to Structural and fiscal federalism as resolved at the inaugural meeting of the
Forum held on Tuesday, 11th May 2021 at Asaba, Delta State and emphasized the need for the Southern States to leverage the legislative competence of their respective State Houses of Assembiy as well as representation in the National assembly to pursue its inclusion in the Nigeran Constitution through the ongoing constitutional amendment.
4. Following from paragraph 3″ above, the meeting resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the States.
5. 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.
6. Reiterated their earlier position that the next President of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of Nigeria in
line with politics of equity, justice and fairness.
7. The Forum thanked the host Governor, Rt. Hon. IfeanyiUgwuanyi, and chose Rivers State as the next host for the
Southern Governors’ Forum meeting in November 2021.
