States will collect VAT – Southern Governors
Southern Governors Forum on Thursday, met in Enugu and reached a joint decision to collect the Value Added Tax (VAT) for their states following the uproar between the Rivers State Government and the Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS).
The governors also reaffirmed their stand on an open-grazing ban, while urging member states who have not complied to enact a law speedily in that regard.
A communiqué read by the governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, who is the Chairman of the Forum, said regional security outfits would work in collaboration to ensure security within the region.
The governors also demanded that the next President of Nigeria must come from the Southern region, as they noted that this is in line with politics of equity, justice, and fairness.
The communiqué read in full:
The Nigerian Southern Governors’ Forum at its meeting of today, Thursday, 16th September 2021 held in the Government House, Enugu, Enugu State reviewed the state of the nation and the progress of implementation of the decisions reached in her previous meetings and further resolved as follows:
Expressed satisfaction with the rate at which the States in Southern Nigeria are enacting or amending the Anti- Open Grazing Laws which align with the uniform template and aspiration of Southern Governors and encouraged the States that are yet to enact this law to do so expeditiously. Encouraged the full operationalization of already agreed regional security outfits; which would meet, share intelligence and collaborate, to ensure the security and safety of the region