Information Minister at NIPR discourse, drums up support for tax reforms

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Mohammed Idris, has said tax reforms are important for Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

Speaking at the National Discourse on Tax Reform Bills organized by the Kaduna Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) on Saturday, Idris noted that the ongoing review of the country’s tax laws and realities is timely and crucial.

Idris commended the Presidential Committee on Fiscal and Tax Reform for their excellent work in public engagement, making the full details of the new tax bills available in the public domain.

He expressed his delight in seeing Nigerians from all walks of life participating in the debate on tax reforms, describing it as the essence and meaning of democracy.

Despite the challenge of a trust deficit in governance, Idris acknowledged the robust debate on the sensitive issue, assuring that the executive will listen to and work with all stakeholders to address concerns.

He said: “Society advances by mutually respectful engagements, where we give voice to diverse opinions and respect those who we disagree with.

“We will certainly not always agree on all issues, perhaps not even on most. But we will always be guided by the fact that the things that unite us—our common humanity, our nationhood, our sense of patriotism, and our collective vision for a Nigeria that works for all—will always be more important and more meaningful than our differences of age, religion, region, ideology, gender, culture, and social class.

“The topic before us today is a sensitive yet important and inescapable one: taxation. It was the American statesman, Benjamin Franklin, who famously said that “In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.”

The minister highlighted the critical role of public relations in fostering constructive dialogue for national economic renaissance.

He emphasized that public relations practitioners can facilitate purposeful communication, build mutual understanding, and promote ideas transparently, ultimately creating a culture of collaboration and progress.

Idris also acknowledged the importance of citizen engagement as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu implements an ambitious fiscal reform agenda aimed at devolving more resources to state and local governments.

The minister assured that the Tinubu administration will continue to uphold the ideals of participatory democracy, ensuring open lines of communication and engagement with the National Assembly and other stakeholders on taxation bills.

He expressed his commitment to deploying innovative mechanisms to provide the public with enlightened information, bolstering public trust and confidence in the reform narratives of the Renewed Hope agenda.