Senate Will Subject Tax Reform Bill To Public Scrutiny
After it went through its second reading in the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly amid opposition from a section of the North, the Tax Reform Bill sponsored by President Bola Tinubu will be subjected to a thorough public scrutiny, Senator Ekong Sampson has said.
While widespread opposition to the bill has come mostly from the northern states of the country, saying the bill would worsen the current economic hardship in the north.
For the oil producing state like Akwa Ibom, it’s about revenue from oil wells and oil companies operating offshore and paying taxes elsewhere.
Speaking at an event organised by the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Sampson who represents Akwa Ibom South, in the Senate, said the bill will be subjected to public scrutiny to afford Nigerians the opportunity to make informed contributions about the bill.
“The Senate will subject the Tax Reform Bill to full public enquiry. In lawmaking, we look at components attached to the bill.we look at public opinion and in respect of the Reform Bill, there are areas of profound interest to Akwa Ibom State.
For instance, why should the oil companies operate on our shores but pay their tax elsewhere.
“I want to assure us that the Senate will spare no effort to ensure that Akwa Ibom south has its inputs into the bill.
“I will make sure that Akwa Ibom interest is protected and this reflects the opinion of the senators from Akwa Ibom State including Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President who is our leader to ensure that Akwa Ibom interest is protected as the senate will subject the bill to full public enquiry.”
Earlier, Dr Emmanuel Abraham, the founder of Topfaith University at Mkpatak, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State responding to the lecture on Ethical Issues: Artificial Intelligence and Digital Journalism in the 21st Century, cautioned against dependence on AI saying it has come to restructure, to disorganise and refocus on the learning process.
“As journalists, while celebrating AI, remember that it:is artificial, we have identified Original Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence, AI should be derivative of OI, if you throw away the thinking cap because of AI is good, enhances efficiency and speed, can create content effortlessly, we should be careful on how we use AI.
“We must continuously emphasize original intelligence, when you use AI to break the news, be careful , break the news but don’t break the rules.
He said while using the AI as a tool, journalists should not surrender their intellect , he urged the media practitioners to stick to the ethics of the profession.
The event was an award night and the unveiling of a magazine The Critique published by members of the correspondents chapel of the NUJ, Akwa Ibom State Council.
Senate Will Subject Tax Reform Bill To Public Scrutiny is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
