Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has reassured Nigerians that President Bola Tinubu is aware of the economic challenges faced by citizens due to recent reforms.
Speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday, Sule acknowledged the difficulties arising from key policy changes, including the removal of petroleum subsidies and the floating of the naira.
Since assuming office in 2023, President Tinubu has implemented measures aimed at restructuring the economy, but these have led to higher prices for goods and services, creating hardship for many Nigerians.
Governor Sule, however, expressed optimism for the future, emphasizing that there is “light at the end of the tunnel” and assured Nigerians of better days ahead as the reforms begin to yield positive results.
He said, “At the end of the day, some of these reforms being taken by Mr President, he clearly mentioned to Nigerians that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“As far as Mr President is concerned, he is very much aware of these reforms. Nobody said they were going to be easy, they are going to be difficult. This is the hardship we will go through but it is only temporary.”
Recall that a proposed new tax legislation seeks to provide Value Added Tax (VAT) exemptions to oil and gas exports, crude petroleum oil and feed gas for all processed gas, as well as goods purchased for use in humanitarian donor-funded projects.
The Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024, also seeks to exempt baby products, locally manufactured sanitary towels, pads or tampons, military hardware, arms, ammunition and locally manufactured uniforms supplied to armed forces, para-military and other security agencies of the Nigerian government from payment of VAT.
However, in what could be a setback for the proposed law, governors of 19 states under the aegis of Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), on Monday, rejected the proposed tax amendment bill.
In a communique issued at the end of a joint meeting with the Northern Traditional Rulers Council on Monday at Government House, Kaduna, the governors urged the National Assembly to “oppose any bill that can jeopardise the well-being of our people”.
During the interview, Governor Sule weighed in on the controversial Value Added Tax (TAX) bill that has sent the northern region against Tinubu.
“We can not bring President Tinubu as a president – and the North came in heavily in making sure President Tinubu the president – and then turn around and be against him,” he added.
