FIC Report (Nasarawa State) – Stakeholders in Nasarawa State have called for transparency and accountability in the implementation of the proposed Tax Reform Bill, if signed into law by the President.
They emphasized that the bill must deliver infrastructure and essential services to grassroots communities.
The call was made during a one-day Citizen Assembly held in Lafia, aimed at deepening public understanding of the proposed reforms.
The event drew participants from youth and women groups, religious and community leaders, the National Orientation Agency, and traditional institutions across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.
Organized by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), the assembly provided a platform for citizens to engage directly with government representatives on the policy.
The Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs and Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd), described the tax reform as a bold step towards improving the standard of living at the grassroots.
Represented by the Madakin Lafia, Alhaji Ishaka Dauda, the Emir noted that this marks the first time communities are directly engaging the federal government on such a policy initiative.
He urged the government to ensure that the implementation of the bill focuses on tackling poverty, corruption, and bad governance, to foster inclusion and national development.
Also speaking, the Nasarawa State Director of the National Orientation Agency, Mr. Augustine Akwe, encouraged traditional rulers and community leaders to maintain active collaboration with the government to ensure the success of its economic reform agenda.
In a remark, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Miss Abiodun Essiet, assured participants of the federal government’s commitment to transparency and inclusion throughout the reform process.
The event featured detailed presentations by representatives of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, followed by interactive discussions and a question-and-answer session.
Similar citizen engagement forums are expected to be held in other states within the North Central zone.
Signed
ARI, LIMAN AMINU.
HOC, FIC, LAFIA.
