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Tax reform bills debate must be exhaustively discussed by Nigerians- Haruna, ex-ACF chair

A former Federal Commissioner for Information and Culture (1975 and 1977), Gen Ibrahim Haruna (retd), speaks on the proposed tax reform bills debated at the National Assembly. Haruna, who was also a former Chairman of the Executive Council of the Arewa Consultative Forum (2009-2012), also talked about the state of the nation in this interview with Vincent Egunyanga

 

 What is your assessment of the country over the years from colonial rule, independence, military rules, and the present democratic dispensation?

I am grateful to God for his grace and fortunate for good health. At almost 85, I have seen it all, from independence through military coups, military regimes, civil war, and others, I have seen it all. Nigeria has passed through many civilisations. My children now don’t know what a gramophone is. They have not experienced the difficulties encountered in communications those days. Now, they can communicate with anybody anywhere in the world, visually, audio, etc. We have gone through moments of evolution and civilisations

 

 

There was a civil war in the past to keep the country united. Would you say what we have now is the Nigeria you fought for?

Our forefathers passed through their own time, we are passing through our own time, and our children shall pass through their own time. Generations of children will also come and pass through their own time. Each time is determined by the circumstances of the time. Different exposures and different attitudes. We, unfortunately, had to evolve through the hassles of the colonisation of nationalism until independence. Experiencing the hardship of living together, appreciating the dynamics of the culture we passed through for society to evolve through time, differences of tribe, language, culture, religion, etc. They had culture, they had industry, and they developed a way of trade with each other. For the coups, you will see it as a passage over time as a passage. Now we talk about unity in diversity, economic plans, social biases, discriminations, and the desire to create peace and stability, a good life for humanity.

 

 

How would you justify the different phases of military coups that Nigeria went through in the past?

The relevance of military or civilians shaping our lives is challenging with different shapes and eras. Before the coups, we had the trappings that made a government. Before the coups, there were human beings; they were living. They had culture, they had industry, and they developed a way of trading with each other and lots of transportation to various places so that the coups could be talked about. Still, over time, you will see it as a passage from one kind of appreciation of the governance and appreciation of people to continue what they consider as the good purposes of life relating to property, wealth, and having a life that was meaningful and enjoyable within the era of their time. They involved families and society and subsequently tried to evolve citizenship of a nation or a country within which there is safety, security, and happiness, as well as the need to find cooperation and avoid conflict of war and violence. I have not heard of any time in the growth or development of human beings that there were no wars or overturning of some hierarchy such that the ruling class was displaced or disrupted. It was a passing phase. It’s part of life.  Those who couldn’t survive it have gone; those who have survived it will go, and those who inherit it will leave one day.  We all depend on God to survive.  But no one lives forever. We continue to appreciate God for the lives he has given us.

 

 

How did you leave the military?

The regime of Gen Olusegun Obasanjo retired me. However, I saw a documentary that showed I resigned voluntarily. No, I was retired. That was brought about by many circumstances, either my or Obasanjo’s. Obasanjo and I served in the military almost as contemporaries, but I was in a group of young officers like the late Gen Murtala Mohammed. We had different kinds of commissioning in the military, but as circumstances changed, opportunities also changed, and we did have some intolerance among ourselves, just like in politics.

 

As a former chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum executive council, what are your views on power returning to the North in 2027?

I know that power, the acquisition of it or the struggle for it, is constant. God grants some of those powers, while others are acquired because of the customs. The power equation is the dynamics of development and resistance in searching for change. Power sharing may not be balanced, but you must find a balance. Power sharing is like food sharing; you don’t always get the same share, but we all have to share different attributes or blessings of God. God himself has not shared with us equally, in the same quantity. Everybody has his own personal, natural endowments. That is why you see some people are better footballers, some are better leaders, while some people are just criminals, they don’t like to obey, they don’t like to see peace, they don’t want to see other people enjoy anything better than them- that is life. Life is a perpetual commotion, but you must find peace and positive advancement.

 

Some prominent northerners are said to oppose the federal government’s tax reforms. Do you agree with them?

The tax aims to enable the nation’s people to finance their projects and challenges. Governments at all levels are trying to meet the people’s demands, which are increasing daily. With the increase in population, there is an increase in needs and challenges. Issues of Education, Security, social services, etc. When we are in a democracy, we have the structures of government and the purposes of government. We have objectives and developments that challenge the government. Governments at all levels must look for a way to raise funds for development. The way the funds are generated and shared has to be discussed. You cannot decree it like the military regime. Besides, there are elements of culture and religion of the people that should not be illogically abused because power is vested in the government to make laws that should be made with good sense and responsibility. So, there is nothing wrong with the tax reform bills. Various parts of the country have their differences, which must be respected and considered. I don’t think any government section should be labelled obstructionist or against the bills. Not everybody in the North is affected by the Islamic Law of succession after death, so when you are collecting tax or revenue, be it consumption tax or production tax, you have to be circumspect, and I think there is no need to overheat the polity for the narrow view of one particular section or constituents of the country. So, the way to go is proper discussion; an executive bill that has not been widely discussed has not been passed. Let the bill go through appropriate debate in the National Assembly and public hearings, especially as it was not part of what was promised to the people during campaigns before the elections, so it cannot now be smuggled through the back door. It was not part of the mandate given to the government before the elections

 

 

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