Big Lift For Resource Control As Wike Signs Rivers VAT Law

Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Thursday signed into law a bill to regulate the collection of Value Added Tax, VAT in Rivers State following the recent court decision that barred the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS from collecting what it said was a state function.

 GreenWhiteGreen GWG reports that the court decision has been widely hailed across some sections of the country as a big lift for the agitation for resource control.

Also on Thursday, Governor Wike signed into law a bill to prohibit open grazing in the state among others recently passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Wike said that the judgement of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt had sufficiently addressed the illegality perpetrated by the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) on behalf of the Federal Government in the collection of VAT in States.

The Rivers State Governor pointed out that when agencies of the Federal Government are allowed to illegally demand and collect taxes meant for states to collect, they strangulate the States financially and turn them to be beggars.

“But we (Rivers State) are standing on the part of history as representatives of the state to have taken the bull by the horn to challenge the illegality of the of the Federal Government through the Federal inland Revenue Services (FIRS).

“Of course, we are all aware that the states have already been strangulated. Most states depend on allocation from federation account. States have been turned to beggars. Hardly will any day pass that you won’t see one state or the other going to Abuja to beg for one fund or the other.”

The governor said no campaign of calumny or blackmail on the part of FIRS will make what is illegal to become legal. He dismissed FIRS’ propaganda that 30 states will suffer if some states are allowed to collect VAT.

Governor Wike pointed out that the concerns should be on establishing whose duty is it to collect VAT and the constitutionality of such position before talking about who is going to suffer or not.

“In this (Rivers) state,  we awarded contract to companies and within the last month we paid over N30billion to the contractors and 7.5% will not be deducted from that and to be given to FIRS.

“Now, look at 7.5% of N30billion of contracts we awarded to companies in Rivers State, you will be talking about almost N3billion only from that source. Now,  at the end of the month,  Rivers State government has never received more than N2billion from VAT. So,  I have contributed more through the award of contract and you are giving me less. What’s the justification for it.”

Governor Wike, while thanking the state lawmakers for their courage to have given the bill speedy passage,  assured that every area that the law allows the state to collect revenue will be maximised for the survival of the state.

Speaking on the Open Rearing and Grazing Prohibition law,  No.5 of 2021, Governor Wike said it is inimical to development and peace, for any state to condone opening grazing of cattle.

Governor Wike said cattle rearing is agricultural business and the law, which has specified ranching, is so intended in order to stem clash between herdsmen who go to destroy farmland, crops, and having problems with farmers that lead to fighting and killing of themselves.

“It is no longer a story. All of us know what our people have suffered in terms of this open grazing.  Today all Nigerians have come to accept the reality that open grazing is no longer fashionable. Even our brothers in the north have agreed that it is no longer fashionable.”

On his part, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly,  Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani said, described the collection of VAT by FIRS as the worst form of retrogressive tax in any tax regime.

He commended the governor and the state government for challenging the constitutionality of FIRS collection of VAT in States. According to him, the signing of the VAT law will ensure that Rivers’ people are not plunged into extreme poverty.

Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Martin Amaewhule said lawmakers delineated and gave speedy passage to the bills because of their relevance to the socioeconomic progress of the State.

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