Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has raised alarms over the potential impact of President Bola Tinubu’s proposed tax reforms on northern Nigeria.
According to the governor, if the reforms are approved by the National Assembly, they could severely hamper the ability of northern states to pay civil servant salaries and address pressing infrastructure needs.
Governor Mohammed made the statement during a meeting with the Christian community in Bauchi State, who had come to pay their annual Christmas homage at the Government House on Wednesday.
He strongly condemned the proposed tax reforms, describing them as “anti-northern” and accusing President Tinubu of favoring one region over another.
The governor’s concerns stem from the fact that northern Nigeria, which encompasses 19 states across the northwest, northeast, and north-central zones, is already struggling with financial constraints.
The tax reforms, according to Mohammed, will further exacerbate these challenges by reducing the region’s fiscal capacity.
“It is not about pride or ego, we must be able to do things that will assist people. The situation was not like this before. If it was bad before I came, tell me! And I must change. That is why the presidency must listen to the cries about tax reform,” he said.
He emphasized that the proposed reforms could result in insufficient funds for vital public services, including the payment of civil servant salaries and the construction of roads.
Mohammed warned that failure to address the concerns of the northern states could lead to widespread unrest.
“It is not a good policy for northern Nigeria because we are not going to get money to pay salaries or do roads. They must listen, or they are calling for anarchy, and that is not good,” he stated.
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