GOVERNORS OF SOUTHERN STATES OF NIGERIA RESOLVE TO SUPPORT THE POSITION THAT THE COLLECTION OF VALUE ADDED TAX.

Governors of Southern States of Nigeria, under the aegis of Southern Governors Forum, SGF have resolved to support the position that the collection of Value Added Tax, VAT falls within the powers of the States contrary to the current practice as done by the Federal Inland Revenue Services.

The resolution by the Southern Governors Forum was part of the six point communiqué reached at its meeting held at the Government House, Enugu, Enugu State.

The meeting of the Southern Governors Forum which reviewed the State of the nation and the progress of the implementation of the decisions reached in its previous meetings, expressed satisfaction with the rate at which the States in the Southern Nigeria were enacting and amending the Anti Open Grazing laws which allowed a uniform template and aspiration of Sothern Governors and encouraged the State that are yet to enact the law to-do so expeditiously.

Reading the Communiqué after the closed door meeting to journalists, the Governor of Ondo State and Chairman of the Forum, Oluwarotimi Aferedolu SAN, said the meeting reiterated its earlier position that the next President of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of Nigeria, in line with politics of equity, justice and fairness.

Present at the meeting were the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Chief Emmanuel Udom, Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Governor of Osun State, Isiaka Adeyboyega Oyetola.

Others were the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Governor of Bayelsa State, Duoye Diri, Governor Babajide Sanwo -Olu of Lagos State and Governor Oluwaseyiu Abiodun of Ogun State, Oyo, Ekiti, Edo, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi States were represented by their Deputy Governors

The Forum thanked the host live with politics of equity, justice and fairness.

According to the communiqué, the Southern Governors agreed to encourage the full operationalization of already agreed regional security output which will meet share intelligence and collaborate to ensure the security and safety of the region.

Governor Akereodolu opined that the meeting also reaffirmed its earlier commitment to srick to fiscal federalism as resolved at the inaugural meeting of the Forum held on Tuesday eleventh May first 2021 at Asaba, Delta State and Sanwo Olu of Lagos State and Govenor Oluwaseyi Abiodun of Ogun State.

Oyo, Ekiti, Edo, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi States were represented by their Deputy Governors.