Southern Governors Demand VAT, 6 Other Things At Enugu Meeting

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).

During the meeting, the governors 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.

Reaffirmed its earlier commitment to structural and fiscal federalism as resolved at the inaugural meeting of the Forum held on Tuesday, 11th May 2021 at Asaba, Delta State; and also emphasized the need for the Southern States to leverage the legislative competence of their respective State Houses of Assembly as well as representation in the National assembly to pursue its inclusion in the Nigeran Constitution through the ongoing constitutional amendment.

Following from paragraph 3 above, the meeting resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the States.

Expressed satisfaction with the handling of issues around the Petroleum Industry ACT (PIA) and ownership of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by the larger Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

Reiterated their 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.

The Forum thanked the host Governor, Rt. Hon. IfeanyiUgwuanyi, and chose Rivers State as the next host for the Southern Governors’ Forum meeting in November 2021.

Present at the meeting were Governors Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom; Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Babajide Sanwolu of Lagos State; Gbenga Oyetola of Osun State; and the host Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

Also present in the stead of their bosses were, Deputy Governors Philip Shuaib of Edo State; Rauf Olaniyan of Oyo State; Bisi Egbeyemi of Ekiti State; Ude Okochukwu of Abia State; Placid Njoku of Imo State and Kelechi Igwe of Ebonyi State.