Here's the vibe from Akwa Ibom: a local group is telling Abuja to shelve the whole tax plan. The Open Forum, a non-governmental organization based in the state, wants the Federal Government to pause its controversial tax reforms completely. The group's Convener, Citizen Mathew Kofi Okono, made the demand from Uyo, arguing the policy should be suspended until the National Assembly finishes its investigation and all public concerns are addressed. This push comes despite the government sticking to a January start date for the new laws. Okono referenced economist Professor Akpan Ekpo, who called alleged irregularities with the tax document embarrassing, a view the Forum shares. They see the combination of these legitimacy issues and unapproved international clauses as a deal-breaker for the planned rollout.
The statement urged a faster probe by lawmakers and independent checks by civil society. It also suggested President Bola Tinubu has bigger fish to fry, like fighting corruption and fixing the electoral system, instead of pushing a centralizing tax policy. On local issues, the group called for the Akwa Ibom government to revive an abandoned economic recovery plan drafted by a think-tank after the pandemic. They also warned against selling the struggling state power company, Ibom Power Company, to private buyers. Citing former Governor Victor Attah and Professor Akpan Ekpo, they advised getting the original technical team back to fix the utility, stating that real development needs steady electricity. Recent state efforts, like a new electricity law and a summit, were labeled as adding little value to solving this core problem.
The statement urged a faster probe by lawmakers and independent checks by civil society. It also suggested President Bola Tinubu has bigger fish to fry, like fighting corruption and fixing the electoral system, instead of pushing a centralizing tax policy. On local issues, the group called for the Akwa Ibom government to revive an abandoned economic recovery plan drafted by a think-tank after the pandemic. They also warned against selling the struggling state power company, Ibom Power Company, to private buyers. Citing former Governor Victor Attah and Professor Akpan Ekpo, they advised getting the original technical team back to fix the utility, stating that real development needs steady electricity. Recent state efforts, like a new electricity law and a summit, were labeled as adding little value to solving this core problem.
