The Sudden VAT Collection Saga By Few State Governments -By Shariff M.M Al-hassan

Indeed this is one of the disadvantages of cancellation of the teachings of history in Nigerian schools to our upcoming generations. If those who are presently calling separation of Nigeria were to have good history of how Nigeria came to be, I believe they wouldn’t have the sagacity to engage in these densely agitations. I’m pretty sure that most of those on this page were children born after 1960 and to be more specific those born in 1966 and after.

So also the current issue of VAT being spearheaded by the River and Lagos states for collection mainly on hypocritical basis and to deny other states especially those of the Northern hemispheres of Nigeria. Have their policy makers forgotten about the famous groundnut pyramids, Hides and Skins, Cotton, Gum Arabic, Animal husbandry all these coming from the Northern parts during the period of our Colonial masters. This being the reason why one finds narrow roads from Lagos to Maiduguri, Kano, Sokoto and other Northern agricultural areas. So also the Railway from Lagos, Jebba, Minna, Baro, Kaduna, Zaria, Kano and Nguru. These roads and railways were constructed to transport the above agricultural produce to the Southern regions and as well as to other Foreign lands.

It was much later that, palm oil, Cocoa, Coal and kola nut joined to increase the wealth of Nigeria before the emergency of crude oil in commercial quantities in 1958.Therefore,let the officers of today note that, without these foundations, the present unnecessary call for collection of VAT by these Southern states would have been impossible and therefore looked childish and unpatriotic. We are by the provisions of section 2 (1 ) of the 1999 CFRN as one indivisible Nation bounded by one destiny. Why demanding for this segregation, is it because today they are at the advantage stage over the North because of acquired western style of economy. They should think that the affairs of this life is like a chameleon faeces, as they are subject to changes without notice. They should be careful as no condition is permanent.

However as an ardent Nigerian who believes in unity, progress and development of our country Nigeria, there are many other solutions that if it should be enforced by the North, it could lead to other factors which would be detrimental to our fellow Nigerians living in the country generally.

In addition, my simple understanding of VAT is money collected on any material consumed. The cattle moved to the South what do they do with it. The maize or corn moved to the South what do they do with it. The beans, sourgym, yam, groundnut oil, cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys and rests what do they do with them. They either consumed them locally or refined them from their factories into other products such as biscuits and packaged items and resend to the North. If North were to say it wanted to collect VAT on these items on raw which position than would this struggle by these Southern states be placed in calling for VAT collection.

Therefore honestly it is best left as it is but with better improvement and not to be based on primordial sentiments by the enemies of Nigeria who hide under genuine people to cause problems for Nigeria.