Bwala: Tax Reform Bill Not Designed To Afflict the North, But To Alleviate Poverty

Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has refuted claims that the proposed tax reform bill is designed to marginalise northern Nigeria. 

Bwala during an interview with Arise News, described such narratives as misleading and urged Nigerians to focus on the policy’s benefits rather than framing it as a regional issue.  

He emphasised that the tax reforms are designed to alleviate poverty and address key issues such as hunger and food security, particularly in the North, while rejecting notions of a North-versus-South divide in the bill’s intent or implementation.  

“I’m really saddened by the notion generated in the media that it is a North versus South thing, people creating the narrative that the tax reform bills are built or designed to afflict the North—that is far from the truth,” Bwala said. 

“The problem we will always have is that sometimes we have failed to look at the difference between politics and policy.”  

Bwala highlighted the support the bill has received from various northern regions, including the North Central and North West. 

However, he acknowledged concerns raised by some, particularly fears that the bill could impose hardships on the poor in the North. He challenged this perspective, arguing that the bill is intended to alleviate poverty.  

“If I have to take them on that argument, then my case would be that the contrary is actually the reason—the very opposite is the point of the bill,” he explained. 

“If you say that the bill is going to afflict poor people, it is actually this proposed bill that is addressing the problems poor people encounter. All of the issues that affect the very poor, this tax law actually addresses—not against the poor, but in favor of the poor.

“What is very essential to the North at this point is hunger and food, and the president has been clear about that. The policy of the government has been clear about that,” he stated. 

“Even the recent meeting the president traveled to—the G20—it’s the holiday focus. 

“The governors’ reform across the world is to deal with hunger, then climate change. If you look at the revolutionary policy in agriculture, the president has a vision for the poor. 

“As a government, he has policy for the poor. The tax, which is part of many reform policies introduced, is also in favor of the poor.”  

Bwala also discussed revenue-sharing dynamics under the proposed tax reform, dispelling fears of disproportionate impacts on the North.  

“If you apply the oil revenue share to the tax, that is when you will say it will afflict the North. 

“This idea of 50-30-20 being switched to 60-20-20—if we look at the dynamics of distribution, and it’s quite there, the data is there—there are cases it favors the North proportionally, and also cases where the North benefits more.”  

He suggested that some northern political stakeholders might be using opposition to the bill as a negotiation tool.  

“The North is very professional about its politics. I see it even more as playing politics for negotiation—they want to have a bargaining stand with the president or whatever issue; I don’t know,” Bwala remarked.  

To address misinformation, he called for the dissemination of accurate details about the bill in northern languages to foster understanding among the populace.  

“If it’s the strict application of this tax for the purpose of dealing with poor people, we make it clear while disseminating this information in the languages from the North for people to know,” he said.  

Bwala urged stakeholders to shift focus from divisive narratives to constructive dialogue.  

“Let us discuss business and take away this issue of North versus South. It is one of those things that would not make for the progress of Nigeria,” he said. 

“I’m calling on all the stakeholders in northern Nigeria to look at the view of construction, rather than distraction. 

“The fact that they express their fears is not the problem, but the problem becomes when you now extend it further into misleading, misinforming, or confusing the people from the demographic where you come from.”  

Boluwatife Enome

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