Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance

Hon. James Faleke confidently stated that the newly enacted tax reform laws will be embraced by all Nigerians. He made this declaration during a focused interview with reporters on Thursday, following the House’s decisive review and approval of four critical tax reform bills in Abuja.

These bills are the Nigerian Tax Bill, the Tax Administration Bill, the Revenue Tax Board Bill, and the Nigerian Revenue Service Establishment Bill, which represent significant strides in tax reform. Faleke emphasized that the process spanned three full days of public hearings, where they gathered crucial input from over 80 key stakeholders. Also, the team undertook an eight-day retreat to thoroughly scrutinize every aspect of the proposed legislation. “I am proud to report that the members of the House recognized the rigor of our work and unanimously endorsed all of our recommendations,” he stated.

We want to thank our members and all Nigerians for their interest in the new tax bills we are working on. We promise that the upcoming laws will be fair and beneficial for everyone. Faleke, a member of the committee, praised the leadership of the house for trusting them with the important job of reviewing these tax bills and bringing them to the assembly. He also acknowledged President Bola Tinubu for recognizing that our tax laws need to be updated, as many of these rules have been in place since 1959. The lawmaker pointed out that we can’t keep using outdated tax laws that don’t meet our current needs for survival, business growth, and the money goals we want to achieve. The Deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon. Saidu Abdullahi (Niger, APC), noted that no other bill in this assembly has caused as much debate and discussion as the tax reform bills.

He said that the house, under the leadership of Speaker Rt Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, the house successfully reached an agreement among all parties involved. Abdullahi noted that representatives from each geopolitical zone and regional leaders were included in the committee, which helped ease public concerns. He explained that the committee’s recommendations were based on contributions from various stakeholders. “This was never intended to be a flawless document; it included suggestions from the Executive, and the public hearing allowed Nigerians to voice their opinions. Based on what we see today, all lawmakers representing the nation have agreed to it,” he stated. Additionally, Hon. Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere (Imo, PDP) emphasized that the process was open and transparent, with both consultants and the executive making changes to reflect the people’s wishes.

The recent adoption of a new tax collection system represents a historic moment in Nigeria’s legislative efforts. Members of the opposition express pride in contributing to this historic initiative, which aims to expand the tax base and enhance government revenue. This system is designed to improve efficiency while ensuring that small businesses are adequately protected.

Hon. Benson Babajimi of Lagos, from the APC, remarked on the responsiveness of the House of Representatives to concerns raised by various stakeholders, including those regarding inheritance tax, derivation, and VAT. He stated, “This is a pivotal day for Nigeria. The necessary measures to elevate Nigeria’s standing among nations have been implemented and approved by the House of Representatives.” The next step is to get the Senate’s approval to do the same,’’ he said

The House of Representatives has ordered the arrest of Mr. Richard Dauda, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), due to alleged violations of building codes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Additionally, the House, through its Committee on Public Petitions, has also ordered the arrest of Mr. Muktar Galadima, the Director of the Department of Development Control (FCTA), along with the Director of Regional Planning for the FCT. During the proceedings, Committee Chairman Hon. Mike Etaba clarified that the decision to issue arrest warrants for these officials aligns with the provisions of the Legislative Houses Powers and Privileges Act of 2017.

The committee has instructed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr. Kayode Egbetekun to ensure the arrest of these officials and to compel their appearance before the committee on the 28th of this month to clarify their involvement in the alleged infractions. Etaba noted that he had no choice but to summon the FCDA officials after they willfully ignored the committee’s summons earlier this week. He later led committee members to conduct an on-site assessment of the building in Guzape, stating that the FCDA officials would be required to present documents necessary to verify the claims made by the petitioner. He remarked, “We received a petition from a Nigerian citizen, and during our investigation, the FCDA has failed to provide the necessary documents for us to proceed. Today, we visited the site referenced in the petition. We reviewed the building plans and spoke with the engineer on-site, Mr. Emmanuel, who informed the committee that he currently has no approved building plan. We assessed the structure, the land markings, and the cantilever, as the complainant has a right to ensure his security and safety.”

After a thorough review of the current circumstances, we intend to reconvene with the committee to request additional documentation, primarily focusing on the approved development plan. This step is crucial for the FCDA to elucidate the guidelines previously established for the construction project, enabling us to assess the most appropriate actions for the site in question, while also ensuring the tranquility of the local Nigerian community. Our aim remains to uphold equity for all stakeholders involved. It’s noteworthy that the committee addressed this matter on Tuesday and accepted the petition concerning plot AO9399 within the cadastral zone, submitted by Elder Leke Abejide, the chair of the House Committee on Customs. Mr. Samuel Ajayi, representing Abejide, emphasized that the petition pertains to a development at AO9399 Cadastral zone, alleged to contravene the FCT building code. He remarked, “We have filed a complaint about a construction project in Guzape that is interfering with my client’s rights. We are asking the local authorities to take action to fix this issue.”