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States Agitating For Direct VAT Collection Joking – Masari
The Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has lampooned his colleagues agitating for collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) by individual states, describing the move as a joke.
Rivers and Lagos states recently set in motion, plans to collect VAT directly from companies domiciled in their states.
But the move by Rivers has been halted by a Court of Appeal. However, the state government has appealed the ruling at the Supreme Court.
At a meeting on Thursday, other governors from the region adopted the position of the two states by endorsing VAT collection at the state level.
But Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, on Friday, denounced the position contained in the communiqué issued by southern governors as he kicked against decentralised VAT collection.
Masari said both Rivers and Lagos were reliant on population from other parts of the country to sustain their economy, expressing surprise that the governments of the two states would seek to exclude the rest of the country.
The Katsina governor spoke in an exclusive interview with Daily Trust prior to Thursday’s meeting of the Southern Governors Forum in Enugu.
“First of all, this issue is before the Court of Appeal for determination, so I will not comment directly on it, but I will give you a scenario.
“What is Lagos without the rest of Nigeria? The market Lagos is boasting of is dependent on the larger part of the country. Benin Republic has a port, Togo has a port; do they have the population to back up the ports? Without us providing the demand part, what will be Lagos?” Masari said.
He said all states benefitted from each other in the revenue equation and no one should look down on another because of those configurations.
“VAT serves them and us. We provide the bulk of the market because without the rest of the states, what is Lagos or Port Harcourt?
“Any state that thinks it can survive in isolation is joking. We provide the demand that makes Lagos what it is.”
Masari, however, expressed support for devolution of power to allow states take the lead on issues of security and determine other fiscal issues according to their individual strengths.
The governor said the devolution of power should factor areas of responsibility of states but should be mindful of exclusive roles of the federal government.
“If you devolve, in the real term of devolving, I want to be able to fix the salaries of governors, professionals, civil servants. As a governor, I should not expect to earn as much as the Kano State governor, not to talk of Lagos, because their bases of revenue are not like mine. But that does not take away my authority as governor in Katsina, likewise a councillor in any of our local governments.
“Do you expect me to compare myself with a state that generates over N450billion internally when the best I have is between N12bn and N15bn?”
Daily Trust
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Tinubu not telling Nigerians the truth, says Sule Lamido
Tinubu not telling Nigerians the truth, says Sule Lamido
President Bola Tinubu has been accused of not being forthright about the true state of Nigeria under his administration.
Former Jigawa State Governor and senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, Sule Lamido, made the accusation while speaking on the BBC Hausa programme Gane Mini Hanya.
Lamido criticized both Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari for what he described as a lack of transparency in governance.
“Buhari’s and Tinubu’s governments are not being transparent with Nigerians unlike during the time when PDP was in power where everything was transparent and open to all Nigerians,” Lamido said.
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He accused the two administrations of relying on propaganda rather than providing citizens with accurate information.
Lamido also expressed concerns over President Tinubu’s recent loan requests, questioning the logic behind them. “If Nigerians are being told the truth then there is nothing wrong with that, but how would you budget N30tn, generate N50tn and then request loan when you have a surplus of N20tn,” he said, referencing last year’s budget.
He described the situation as “reckless” and “selfish,” adding, “This recklessness and clear-cut selfishness is not done anywhere in the world, but yet you find (some) Nigerians supporting it. Visit social media and see how APC is being criticised, being referred to as calamity, yet you find some protecting it.”
Tinubu not telling Nigerians the truth, says Sule Lamido
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Nigeria Customs Service begins 2025 recruitment [How to apply]
Nigeria Customs Service begins 2025 recruitment [How to apply]
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the commencement of its recruitment exercise, assuring Nigerians that the process is entirely free and fair.
The agency has cautioned the public to be vigilant against scammers who may attempt to exploit unsuspecting applicants during the recruitment period.
Applications are invited for positions in the Superintendent, Inspector, and Customs Assistant cadres as part of the Service’s plan to recruit 3,927 officers in 2025.
This initiative is aimed at enhancing trade facilitation and supporting Nigeria’s economic recovery efforts.
“Our recruitment is entirely free and fair. At no stage do we charge fees. Anyone requesting payment is a scammer,” the agency emphasized, urging applicants to be wary of fraudulent schemes.
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The NCS outlined eligibility criteria, stating that applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth, possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN), and have no criminal record or ongoing investigations.
Academic qualifications for the three cadres are as follows:
Superintendent Cadre: A university degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) along with an NYSC discharge or exemption certificate.
Inspectorate Cadre: A National Diploma (ND) or Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) from an accredited institution.
Customs Assistant Cadre: At least an O’Level certificate (WAEC or NECO).
In addition to these qualifications, the NCS stressed that all applicants must be physically and mentally fit, providing evidence of medical fitness from a recognized government hospital.
Nigeria Customs Service begins 2025 recruitment [How to apply]
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Tinubu to critics: I won’t reduce my cabinet size
Tinubu to critics: I won’t reduce my cabinet size
President Bola Tinubu on Monday unequivocally responded to critics who described his cabinet as “bloated” by saying he is unprepared to reduce the size of his 48-man cabinet.
“I am not ready to shrink” the size of my cabinet, Tinubu said during a media chat at his Bourdillon residence in the highbrow Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
“I am not prepared to bring down the size of my cabinet,” the former Lagos governor said, arguing that “efficiency” has been at the core of his selection of ministers.
The president also said he has no regret removing the petrol subsidy in May 2023, saying Nigeria cannot continue to be Father Christmas to neighbouring countries.
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“I don’t have any regrets whatsoever in removing petrol subsidy. We are spending our future, we were just deceiving ourselves, that reform was necessary,” he told reporters.
Tinubu appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, three months after his inauguration. The Senate immediately screened and confirmed the ministers. One of the ministers, Betta Edu, was suspended in January while another, Simon Lalong, moved to the Senate.
There were calls for the President to reshuffle his cabinet as many Nigerians have not been impressed by the performance of some of the ministers, especially in the face of unprecedented inflation, excruciating economic situation and rising insecurity.
In October 2024, Tinubu re-assigned 10 ministers to new ministerial portfolios and appointed seven new ministers for Senate confirmation. He also sacked five of his ministers but critics insist that the President’s cabinet remains large, especially with the creation of a Livestock Ministry with a minister.
Tinubu to critics: I won’t reduce my cabinet size
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