An Associate Professor of the Department of Economics, Nile University of Nigeria, Ahmed Adamu, said that Nigerians are experiencing paranoia over the Tax Reform bills.

He said this on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“With regards to Nigerians and how they accepted (the tax Bill) without looking into the details, it tells you that Nigerians are experiencing paranoia. This is stemming from the two famous policies of Tinubu’s administration, which are the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the dollar,” he said.

“These two policies have hit the economy, so Nigerians are now skeptical about anything that is coming from this administration”.

READ ALSO: ‘Bone-Crushing To Nigerians,’ Atiku Faults Tinubu’s Fresh Loan Request

This is in light of the Tax Reform Bills forwarded by President Bola Tinubu in October which the Senate passed for second reading.
The four tax bills include:
– the Nigerian Revenue Service which will nullify the Federal Internal Revenue Service.
– the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024 which will provide the fiscal framework for taxation in the country.
– the Tax Administration Bill which will provide a legal framework for all taxes in the country and reduce disputes.
– the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill which will create a tax tribunal.

The move has since created controversy in the country with key stakeholders calling for a review.

While Adamu admitted that President Tinubu’s reforms including the Tax Reforms Bills are good, there are areas where they should be reviewed to make sure people are carried along.

On how it was presented at the National Assembly, Adamu said, “Senators reacted to it being squeezed into the business order of the day by which people were not informed and even some senators weren’t even present”.

The lecturer said senators ought to have believed in the bill, “understand it first, accept it, and then present it in a way that it will be accepted by the people”.