The immediate past governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has advocated for a new tax regime against wealthy Nigerians to raise the country’s revenue.
Speaking during his screening as a ministerial nominee on the floor of the Senate on Monday in Abuja, he called for ‘privilege taxes’ for those with huge resources.
He said: “If confirmed as a minister, I will advocate for a just taxation system that will bridge the inequality in the system. I am a federalist and there is a limit to what we can do on taxation as a nation.
“We have left the rich men in Nigeria without allowing them to discharge their responsibilities to the citizens particularly on taxation. I’m going to pioneer privilege taxes for those who have huge resources or wealth on which Nigerians must tap.
“If I go into details, there could be some ill feelings in some quarters. I will recommend serious taxation for wealthy people in Nigeria.
“If that will now translate into lifting the burden on the states and the local government councils to reduce their penchant for taxes that made poor people pay from their inadequate resources, I would have been satisfied”.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
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