Following the criticisms that have greeted President Bola Tinubu’s Tax Bill, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, has said those criticising the tax reform are doing so because they have not seen it.

Adaramodu, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District who spoke on behalf of the members of the 10th Senate at his Ilawe Ekiti hometown after the Ilawe Unity Day celebration and launch of ₦500m support fund said people were acting on the belief that any tax is meant to place a burden on them.

He, however, noted that the National Assembly will conduct an open debate on the bill for Nigerians’ input before it will be passed into law.

Adaramodu said, “Have those criticising the tax reform bill seen them? A tax reform bill that is going to exclude low-income earners from paying, are you going to say that that one is retrogressive?

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“A tax reform bill that is going to make sure that there is no double or multiple taxation, I don’t see anything that is retrogressive about the tax reform bills.

“Let Nigerians wait, we are going to conduct an open debate about it. We will call a public hearing in the National Assembly and everybody is free to come there to present his or her own view. Then aggregate of those views is going to be what the National Assembly will consider in taking a position.

“The only new area is about the Value Added Tax, which is based on consumption. So where we have a high population and they consume a lot of commodities, definitely, such place will generate more VAT. Then it is believed and it is equitable and fair that those people that pay more of VAT should enjoy more.”

Adaramodu, who said the tax reform bill was planned in such a way that it would encourage productivity, said, “When it is time to conduct a public hearing, people should come there and showcase their own ideas, feelings and contributions so that when we aggregate all these, that is what the National Assembly will be putting into our final position on the tax reform bill.”