Connect with us

Headline

Southern Govs Insist on Southern Presidency, Back State Collection of VAT, Others

Published

on

The Southern Governors Forum has insisted on the emergence of a president of southern extraction come 2023 while expressing support for the collection of the Value Added Tax by states.

The governors made their positions known on Thursday, during their meeting in Enugu.

The disagreement over VAT started last month when the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, in a judgment in suit number FHC/PH/CS/149/2020, held that the Rivers State Government had the powers to collect VAT within its territory.

Although Rivers and Lagos states have started the process of collecting VAT within their territories, the Court of Appeal in a ruling on September 10 stopped the collection pending the determination of an appeal filed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service against the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.

Apart from Lagos and Rivers states, Ogun State has also starting the process of passing a bill on VAT in its House of Assembly.

Reading the resolutions of the forum shortly after the meeting which was attended by nine governors and seven deputy Governors, the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), stated, “The meeting resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the states.”

The forum urged  governors that had not enacted the anti-open grazing law to do so without much delay.

Akeredolu, in the seven-point communiqué, said that the governors were satisfied with the rate states were enacting and amending the anti-open grazing laws in line with the uniform template and aspiration of the forum.

The communiqué reads: “the Southern Governors Forum expresses satisfaction with the rate at which the states in the southern Nigeria are enacting or amending the anti-open grazing laws which align with the uniform template and aspiration of Southern governors and encouraged the states that are yet to enact this law to do so expeditiously.

“Encouraged the full operationalization of already agreed regional security outfits; which would meet, share intelligence and collaborate, to ensure the security and safety of the region.

“Reaffirmed its earlier commitment to fiscal federalism as resolved at the inaugural meeting of the Forum held on Tuesday, 11th May 2021 at Asaba, Delta State and emphasized the need for the southern states 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.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Headline

What is Going on in PDP is Extremely Embarrassing – Dele Momodu

Published

on

By

A Peoples Democratic Party chieftain,  and celebrated publisher, Chief Dele Momodu, has said that the situation in his party is worrisome and ‘extremely embarrassing’, acknowledging that the one time biggest party in Africa, is facing serious challenges.

Momodu made the remarks while fielding questions on a Channels TV current affairs programme, stressing that he is not ashamed of talking about the problems of the party, and regularly sharing his thoughts on social media.

He further expressed surprise that the party has not suspended or expelled him despite his open criticism.

Momodu described the situation in the PDP as embarrassing, noting that the party should be leading the opposition in Nigeria, but it is not living up to expectations and seems to have lost its direction. According to him, a few individuals have taken control of the party, making it difficult for it to function properly.

“I know that we have very critical problems in PDP, there is no questions. I am not ashamed. Every now and then I tweet or post in Instagram. I speak freely. I am even surprised that they have not suspended or expelled me from PDP because what is going on in PDP is extremely embarrassing. We should be leading the opposition parties in Nigeria but it is like we have virtually given up. We are allowing one or two people to hijack our party,” Momodu said.

Continue Reading

Headline

Telecom Executive, Ahmad Farroukh Leaves Globacom

Published

on

By

News of the early departure of Mr Ahmad Farroukh from the telecom giant Globacom suggests that he has been eased out in a shakeup by the management, according to an investigation.

“Ahmad Farroukh failed to meet up to expectations within his probationary period and he was politely asked to resign…” said an impeccable source.

“Despite the shake-up, Globacom’s commitment to innovation and expansion continues, reinforcing its competitive edge in a rapidly evolving telecom landscape..” the source further told us.

A former CEO of MTN Nigeria from 2006 to 2010, Farroukh joined Glo in October last year.

Continue Reading

Headline

Tinubu in Abu Dhabi, Pledges Support to Build Sustainable World for All

Published

on

By

President Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria is ready to work with other nations to build a resilient, equitable, and sustainable world for all.

Tinubu spoke in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on the second day of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

The president spoke on the topic, “From Climate Imperatives into Economic Prosperity: Bridging Africa with the Global Energy Future.”

He declared that no single nation could walk the road to sustainability alone, stressing that global interconnectedness demand collective action, knowledge sharing, and mutual support.

According to Tinubu, “The fight against climate change is not merely an environmental necessity but a global economic opportunity to reshape the trajectory of our continent and the global energy landscape.

“As leaders, stakeholders and citizens of our planet, we stand at a critical juncture in human history. To succeed, we must innovate, collaborate and act decisively as one global community.”

Reiterating his administration’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, Tinubu assured the audience that the Nigerian government had developed actionable programmes in line with global expectations, bearing in mind Nigeria’s economic and political expectations.

He said, “We have embraced a vision of sustainability that aligns with global aspirations while addressing local realities. Our efforts are anchored on three pillars: Energy Transition, Climate Resilience, and Sustainable Development.

“My administration recognises the importance of reducing carbon emissions and a just transition to clean and renewable energy, promoting environmental sustainability and economic growth.

Continue Reading

Trending