….. say states should collect VAT.
…….insists Southern Nigeria will produce next President of Nigeria
From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
The Southern Nigeria governors has appraised the implementation of the anti Open grazing law in the 4egion, tasking states that are yet to do so to comply. The governors who are operating under the aegis of Southern Nigeria Governors forum gave the task in their meeting held in Enugu. yedterday,Thursday, September 17.
The Southern governors also insisted that states should have the respondibility of collecting VAT and that the next President of Nigeria in 2023 should come from the region in the interedt of equity. fairness and justice.
The chairman of the forum Chief Rotimi Akeredolu. who is Ondo state governor dropped this hints while reading the communique to news men. after about their fours deliberation.
Governor of Ondo State, and chairman of the Forum, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, who made the call on behalf of the governors said it was important that states should make haste to.pass the law to check the excesses of herds men whose cattle ravage farmers crops.
“The meeting encourages the states who are yet to pass the anti-open grazing law to do so expeditiously,” Akeredolu said.
He said that to ensure adequate security of the region, there should be a full operation of the already agreed additional security outfit which would meet and share intelligence and “collaborate to ensure the security and satefty of the region.”
According to Akeredolu, to Forum reaffirmed its earlier commitment to the fiscal federalism which they had earlier resolved at their inaugural meeting in Asaba, Delta State. He expressed the belief that fiscal federalism would address a lot of anomalies in the fiscal policy in Nigeria.
He noted that the southern states need to leverage the legislative competence of their respective state houses of assembly as well as representation in the national assembly to pursue its inclusion in the Nigerian Constitution through the ongoing constitutional amendment.
The Forum chairman said that the meeting also resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the state, pointing out that they were happy 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.
The Forum chairman also pointed out that they reiterated their earlier resolve that the next president must come from the southern states to ensure enduring peace in Nigeria.
“The meeting reiterated their earlier position that the next president of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of Nigeria in with politics of equity, justice and fairness,” he said.
The Forum thanked the host governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and chose Rivers State as the next state to host Southern Governors Forum meeting in November.
