Tax reform: North not reliant on other regions to survive – Senator Ndume

• Amid the raging debate over the controversial tax reform bills, some persons have claimed that the North cannot survive on its own, and that northerners don’t like paying taxes

The senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has said the North is not dependent on other part of the country to survive and remain viable.

He asserted that the region is not parasitic and can hold its own on economic issues.

Ndume made the assertion in a statement on Sunday, stressing that all states and regions in the country need one another to survive no matter how rich.

Amid the raging debate over the controversial tax reform bills, some persons have claimed that the North cannot survive on its own, and that northerners don’t like paying taxes.

Reacting to the claim, Ndume stated that those excoriating the north over its position on tax reforms are naive.

The lawmaker said, “The North will never be a parasite or dependent on any region or even the country. We are assets not liability to Nigeria.

“Those who think that the current tax reforms is only against Northern interest are naive. As it is, the law is against all the low and middle income Nigerians.

“The FIRS should concentrate on expanding the tax net and collecting more. Also, accountability and transparency should be increased,” he said