The women wing of the Coalition of Northern Group (CNG) Kano state has expressed its concern over the implications of the proposed tax reform bills and how it affects women and their businesses in the region.
Rising from a townhall meeting in Mumbayya House, Kano, the group said that in Nigeria, women form a significant portion of the informal sector that has been underserved by formal tax systems.
According to a statement on Tuesday by the national women leader (CNG) women wing, Pamela Nankling Nanle, “While women’s contributions to economic growth remain under-recognised, Northern Nigerian women, in particular, face unique challenges, including limited access to financial resources, constrained mobility and cultural barriers that hinder their economic empowerment.”
It noted that the women groups are willing to put a lot of efforts into making sure that Northern Nigeria’s interests and opinions are taken into consideration while at the same time highlighting how the proposed reforms could be refined to meet the needs of all stakeholders.
Part of the key concern raised was that Nigerian women, especially in rural or impoverished areas, rely on social services, including healthcare and education to improve their quality of life, saying, “If the tax bill leads to budget cuts in these sectors, it could undermine the services that many women depend on. Any reduction in government funding for women-centric programmes such as maternal health services and educational scholarships for girls, would further entrench gender disparities.”
The group therefore called for more inclusive and gender-sensitive tax reform system that takes into consideration the stand of women.
“The need for gender representation in tax policy development is paramount to ensure that policies are not just equitable but also account for women’s unique socio-economic challenges,” it said.
As part of its resolution, the group wants the FG to halt the proposed VAT increases and instead reduce the current VAT rate to 3% while allowing the bill to undergo thorough consultation with all regions and key stakeholders.
