Rivers VAT not for Abuja people, I don’t care if heaven falls, Wike warns oil companies



Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, insisted on going on with his move to stop the Federal Government from collecting Value Added Tax from the oil-rich South-South state.

Wike, who said he does not care if heaven falls, insisted that Rivers money is not meant for “Abuja people” but for the development of his state.

The governor spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting in Port Harcourt, the state capital, while addressing Shell Petroleum Development Company and other representatives of oil companies and business owners in the state.

The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt in its judgment last month in a suit marked FHC/PH/CS/149/2020 held that the Rivers State Government had the powers to collect VAT within its territory.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service, on Monday, prayed the court to stay execution on the judgment.

But the presiding judge, Justice Stephem Pam, rejected the application, saying granting it would negate the principle of equity.

On Monday, the Lagos State Government toed the path of Rivers State as a bill to empower it to collect VAT scaled second reading in the state House of Assembly.



VAT is a consumption tax paid when goods are purchased and services are rendered. It is charged at a rate of 7.5 per cent.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday televised live on Channels TV and two other stations, Wike lamented about the injustice in the country saying Rivers generated N15bn in June 2021 but got N4.7bn but “Kano produced N2.8bn in June but Kano also got N2.8bn. Sometimes you don’t want to believe these things exist”.

The governor said he cannot continue to beg the Federal Government for what belongs to his state.

“People say that let heaven not fall but sometimes I believe that heaven should come down so that everybody will rest…When we do the right thing, heaven is at peace. So, the right thing must be done at all times,” he said.


‘I will shut FIRS offices in Rivers if bullying continues’

Wike added, “Rivers State is challenging FIRS from collecting VAT in Rivers State. I am not challenging FIRS from collecting VAT in Abuja. Let it be understood. But the law says Rivers must collect VAT in the state.”

“The Federal Government surreptitiously lobbied to amend the constitution to place VAT collection under the exclusive legislative list

“We have challenged it and we have no apologies to anybody.

“I don’t want to be in the good book of anybody but in the good book of God.

“You don’t bully state like us. FIRS should be very careful. I have the political will to do a lot of things. If they continue to bully us, I will take all their offices in the state,” he stated.

Rivers begin VAT collection September, says Wike

The governor warned the oil companies and business owners not to remit their VAT to FIRS but the Rivers State Government.

“I don’t want you to fall prey of the people who think they can use force to take our money.

“If you want to take advantage and say you don’t know who to pay to, it is a lie, you know.

“From this September, we will start collecting our VAT.

“We will not look back but seal up the premises of such companies,” he warned.


https://punchng.com/rivers-vat-not-for-abuja-people-i-dont-care-if-heaven-falls-wike-warns-oil-companies/

Wahala

I support my Governor on this

una eyes go soon clear

Eze-mmo on guard

Strong brother, strong words u said there.

D north is dragging the rest of d country down and back.. Why must everyone move at their pace? Why can't they move at the pace of other regions instead

The best way to go, all house for itself...

You can't continue to leech off your older brother and turnaround and spite him in the face because you are not comfortable with his source of wealth.


I believe this move will go a long way to awaken states into taking their economic development very serious. The multiplier effect of this decision will show itself in few years from now...


State Governance is about to become more interesting!

Buhari will be wondering why he increased VAT to 7.5percent .... Abetter way for this to work is to allow states charge 5 percent state VAT while we have a Federal VAT of 2.5 percent

This is restructuring in disguise. More volume Gov Wike .

It takes courageous mad men to stand against tyrannical regimes.
Middle Belt and Southern states must tow the same path with Rivers and generate VAT for themselves.
A situation where VAT from beer is shared to Sharia states after destroying people's private beer businesses is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. And these northerners have the audacity to object open grazing ban in Southern states.

.

Wike is already enforcing fundamentals rights of Rivers people to self determination not some clowns causing havoc and chaos everywhere in the name of freedom fighting.

It's time to take a stand