The Yobe State House of Assembly has fast-tracked a bill to repeal the State Revenue Codification Law and replace it with a new Tax Administration Law. The legislation, brought forward by the executive, passed its second reading following robust debate among lawmakers.
House Leader Nasiru Hassan Yusuf led the discussion on the floor. He said the new law would create "a modern, comprehensive, and efficient legal framework for the administration, assessment, and collection of taxes".
Yusuf explained that the fresh approach would introduce digital systems for taxpayer registration and tax assessment. It would also enable online payment and electronic record-keeping, he added.
The overhaul aims to stamp out multiple taxation and tighten revenue collection, according to him. These measures align with federal efforts to boost revenue generation for education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, water and security, Yusuf noted.
Lawmakers from Damaturu II, Mamudo, and Bade West constituencies backed the proposal. Buba Ibrahim Kalallawa, Mohammed Isa Bello, and Sanda Kara Bade all described it as timely and necessary.
Speaker Chiroma Buba Mashio, who presided over the sitting, sent the bill to the House Standing Committee on Finance and Appropriation for further work. The committee will handle the next stage of the legislative process.
In related business, the assembly adopted a report from its joint committees on health. The report dealt with a bill proposing creation of the Yobe State Agency for Drug Abuse Control and Rehabilitation.
The committees had worked on legislation involving the Yobe State Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency and the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency. Their combined recommendations informed the assembly's decision to adopt the report.
The moves signal the house's push to modernise state revenue systems and strengthen healthcare infrastructure. Both initiatives reflect the legislature's focus on institutional reform and public welfare.
