…insist VAT revenue has been unjustly used
The Rivers State Caucus in the National Assembly has lauded the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike over his position on the deduction and payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and subsequent releases to be shared to the 36 states.
Chairman of the caucus, Senator George Thompson Sekibo, said Governor Wike has raised very fundamental, legal and moral issues which cannot be ignored noting that the Governor has once again demonstrated his capacity to lead on national issues where others have shied away.
Senator George Sekibo who is representing Rivers East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, noted that VAT revenue has been used unjustly to rob Peter and pay Paul and queried a sharing formulae that gives some states 100% of what they generated and less than 30% to other states.
The Senator who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy and also Chairman of the PDP South-South Caucus in the Senate, urged other state governors to emulate the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike by interrogating the provisions of the law to strengthen the Nation’s democracy.
He advised other state governors to be more ingenious in seeking legitimate ways to grow and prosper their states adding that the Rivers State House of Assembly has done the proper thing by enacting an enabling legislation which all law-abiding citizens and corporate bodies doing business in Rivers State must obey in terms of VAT administration.
Senator Sekibo said the Rivers State caucus in particular and members of the National Assembly will support legislations that promote the economic well-being of the various states and the Federal Government in accordance with the constitution and the principles of justice and equity.
