Tax reform: I receive threats for fixing broken system — Oyedele

Oyedele

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has revealed that he faces threats to his life over his role in implementing Nigeria’s sweeping tax reforms.

Oyedele made this known in Abuja during a governance colloquium organised to mark the 50th birthday of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hajiya Hadiza Bala-Usman, on Tuesday.

Speaking at the event, Oyedele said pushing reforms that affect entrenched interests requires exceptional courage, particularly in a system long resistant to change, Vanguard reports.

“Reforms are hard, and tax reforms are even harder. You need courage. I receive threats simply for trying to fix a broken system,” he said.

He identified deep-seated mistrust of government, weak tax compliance culture and poor public understanding of fiscal exchange as major obstacles to reform implementation.

According to him, Nigeria’s tax revenue remains far below that of peer countries, making comprehensive reforms inevitable.

Oyedele urged Nigerians who support the reforms to speak up, warning that silence allows opponents to dominate public discourse. Punch