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RSG’ll Not Tolerate FIRS’ Attempt To Undermine Our Authority-Wike
Being a text of the State wide Broadcast by the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Monday, September 6, 2021. Excerpts.
My dear people of Riv
ers State
As we all know, following the recent judgement of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, which upheld the constitutional right and authority of State Governments to impose, collect and utilize value added taxes (VAT) within their respective territorial jurisdictions, the Rivers State Government enacted the Rivers State Value Added Tax Law 2021 to regulate the effective administration of VAT in Rivers State.
As expected, the Federal Government, through the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), disagreed and filed an appeal coupled with a request for stay-of-execution of the judgment before the Federal High Court.
While the appeal was pending and without any stay-of-execution of the subsisting judgement, the FIRS went about to bully corporate bodies and business entities from paying the VAT to the Rivers State Government even when they knew that an appeal does not serve as a stay neither was there anything to stay in a declaratory judgement.
As a mere agency of the Federal Government without any political authority, the effrontery and impunity exhibited by the FIRS against the Rivers State Government was ill-advised and highly provocative.
However, being a government that believes in the rule of law, we decided on our own to suspend the enforcement of the Rivers State VAT Law 2021 pending the outcome of the FIRS’s application for stay-of-execution.
Today, the FIRS has failed in its attempt to frustrate the enforcement of the State’s Law on VAT with the Federal High Court’s dismissal of its application for stay-of-execution of the judgement.
It is important to reiterate the fact that we did no wrong in exercising our legal right under our constitutional democracy to stop the continuing breach, denial and curtailment of the constitutional right of States to lawfully impose and collect value added and other related taxes within jurisdiction to the exclusion of the Federal Government.
And in doing so, our singular and progressive objective was to contribute to the advancement of fiscal federalism by enabling the federating States to explore and exploit their potential and capacity for generating greater internal revenues with which to fund their development goals and reduce the outdated over-reliance on pitiable Federal allocation and other handouts.
Naturally, some States with presently low economic activities and ethically restrictive social policies with economic implications may be adversely affected for now.
But, this is not our own making. Like the right to derivation, this is also a constitutional prescription, which we all swore as political leaders to respect and defend as the supreme law of the land.
Above all, fiscal federalism remains the right path to economic self-reliance and sustainability for all our States and the benefits derivable from this case by all the States in the long run far outweigh the immediate revenue loss that some States may presently suffer.
All that is required is for all of us to wear our thinking caps as elected Governors to collectively fight for the greater devolution of resources, responsibilities and powers to the federating States.
It is therefore very unfortunate that some State Governors led by that of Katsina State are vainly conspiring to truncate this progressive reality in favour of the inequitable status quo so that the Federal Government can continue to rob Peter to pay Paul as the nation’s self-imposed tax master-general.
For us in Rivers State, we will continue to ensure and project our constitutional rights to access all possible resources we can take hold both within and outside our geographical boundaries to advance the progress of our State.
And with today’s judgement, the way is now clear for the administration and enforcement of the Rivers State Value Added Tax Law 2021 across the entire State until otherwise decided and set aside by the Superior Courts.
Consequently, I hereby direct the Rivers State Revenue Service (RSRS) to ensure the full and total implementation and enforcement of this law against all corporate bodies, business entities and individuals with immediate effect.
All corporate bodies, business entities and individuals are advised to willingly, truthfully and promptly comply with their tax obligations under this law to avoid the full weight of the stipulated sanctions, including having their business premises sealed-up.
Let me warn that the Rivers State Government is fully in charge of the State and will not tolerate any further attempt by the FIRS to sabotage or undermine our authority to freely administer our tax and other related laws in our own State. Those who play with fire risk having their fingers burnt. Enough of the shenanigans.
I wish to further assure every resident that we shall as usual make effective use of the expected proceeds from this tax to accelerate the development of our State and improve the wellbeing of everyone.
Fellow citizens, let me also draw your attention to the alarming rate of transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic in our State.
The daily figures released by the NCDC show that both the transmission and death rates in the last two weeks have consistently been on a rising spiral because residents and visitors to the State have largely abandoned their responsibility to comply with the existing COVID-19 Protocols.
Clearly, we are headed for a serious health disaster of profound consequences if residents and visitors continue to behave as if the pandemic no longer exists or impotent in Rivers State.
This is a big lie and we cannot afford to continue to close our eyes to the dangers such irresponsible behaviour poses to the health, lives and livelihood of everyone.
Accordingly, I wish to remind residents of the subsisting protocols on regular washing of hands and use of alcohol-based sanitizer; maintaining social distancing; wearing of face masks at all public places, including transport vehicles and going for immediate testing and treatment whenever you notice any of the symptoms.
Furthermore, it has been proven that vaccinations are saving lives here and across the world and those refusing to take the vaccines for no certified medical reasons should know that they are endangering the rest of the citizens.
I therefore appeal to all residents to help protect yourself, your loved ones and the rest of the citizens by getting your jab at the designated health centres in the 23 Local Government Areas of the State as they become available.
I also appeal to religious leaders and churches to convince and encourage their followers and members to please go out and take the vaccines and comply with the covid-19 protocols in addition.
Although it remains our desire to keep the State open and allow citizens to go about their social, religious and economic activities unimpeded.
But we may be constrained to re-impose the suspended COVID-19 lockdown measures across the State if the transmission of the disease continues to increase beyond tolerable limits.
Finally, we wish to reiterate that the ongoing demolition of shanties was borne out of the compelling need to safeguard lives and property across the State.
Our objective, which is gradually achieving is to deny the criminals these sanctuaries and hideouts from which they embark on their criminal activities and safely return to.
We therefore refuse to be blackmailed by those unpatriotic elements who are trying to stir false ethnic, religious or tribal sentiments around our patriotic commitment to advance the safety and security of residents.
Furthermore, we refuse to be intimidated by such baseless pranks. Rather, we will not rest until we clear the State of all shanties wherever they are located and restore sanity to our environment and achieve a better sense of comfort and security for everyone.
Once again, thank you all for your support, prayer and understanding as we continue to work together to advance our collective security, peace and progress.
Thank you and may God bless Rivers State.
The Rivers State Government has called on stakeholders, community leaders, parents and relevant education authorities to intensify efforts to identify and enrol out-of-school children across Nigeria, stressing that every child deserves access to quality and inclusive education.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara made the call, yesterday, during the regional campaign on engaging community structures to promote the enrolment of out-of-school children and the regional flag-off of the 2026/2027 enrolment drive for southern states, held in Port Harcourt.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Dagogo Wokoma, Governor Fubara reaffirmed that education remains a fundamental pillar of sustainable development and emphasised the need to ensure that no child is left behind because of economic hardship, social background or other barriers to schooling.
He noted that expanding access to education was essential to promoting sustainable development, social inclusion and equal opportunities, enabling children to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society.
The governor urged participating states and communities to translate their commitments into concrete and measurable actions by reaching vulnerable children, strengthening community engagement and encouraging parents and guardians to make their children’s education a priority.
He reiterated the state government’s commitment to initiatives aimed at expanding access to education, particularly for children excluded from formal schooling.
“Rivers State remains committed to supporting initiatives that expand access to inclusive and quality education, particularly for vulnerable children who may have missed the opportunity to attend formal schools,” Fubara stressed.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, described the growing number of out-of-school children as one of the major challenges confronting the education sector.
She called for a collective and collaborative approach among governments, communities, parents and other stakeholders to address the problem, stressing the need to ensure that no Nigerian child is denied the fundamental right to education.
The programme was organised by the Universal Basic Education Commission in collaboration with the Rivers State Government, as part of efforts to strengthen community participation and promote school enrolment across the southern states for the 2026/2027 academic session.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared the sum of N2.428 trillion among the Federal Government, 36 states government and the 774 Local Government Councils (LGCs) as revenue for the month of September.
The Director, Press and Public Relations, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Mr Bawa Mokwa, said this in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Mokwa said the allocation was approved by FAAC at its October meeting held in Abuja.
He said the N2.428 trillion distributable revenue comprised of statutory revenue of N1.672 trillion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N756.587 billion.
Mokwa quoted the FAAC communiqué as saying that total gross revenue of N3.913 trillion was available in the month of September 2026.
He said a total deduction for cost of collection was N131.758 billion while total transfers, refunds and savings of N1.352 trillion.
According to him, a gross statutory revenue of N3.096 trillion was received for the month of September 2026.
“This was higher than the sum of N2.850 trillion received in the preceeding month by N246.384 billion.
“Gross revenue of N816.872 billion was available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) in September 2026.
“This was lower than the N834.843 billion available in the month of August 2026 by N17.972 billion,” he said.
Mokwa explained that the Federal Government received N832.242 billion and the state governments received the sum of N799.872 billion.
He said the LGCs received N560.660 billion, while the sum of N236.049 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting state as derivation revenue.
Mokwa said in the N1.672 billion distributable statutory revenue, the Federal Government received N756.583 billion and the State Governments received N383.749 billion.
He said the LGCs received N295.855 billion and the sum of N236.049 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
The director said from the N756.587 billion distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, the Federal Government received N75.659 billion, the State Governments received N416.123 billion and the LGCs received N264.805 billion.
“In September 2026, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), Petroleum Royalties, Import Duty, CET Levies and Excise Duty increased significantly.
“Also, Companies Income Tax (CIT), CGT & SDT, Value Added Tax (VTA), Mineral Royalties, and Gas Flared Penalty, Rental Gas Flared Fee and Misc. Oil Revenue decreased considerably,” he said.
The ultimatum followed a joint meeting of the National Executive Council and Central Working Committee of the NLC held at the Olaitan Oyerinde Hall, Labour House, Abuja.
In a communiqué signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and made available to newsmen, yesterday, the union said the two-week ultimatum would commence on Friday, October 9, 2026.
It warned that failure by the government to meet its demands would compel the Congress to take further action.
The NLC specifically demanded that the government reduce the price of Premium Motor Spirit to the level it was when the current national minimum wage was signed into law in 2024.
It also demanded the immediate commencement of negotiations for a new minimum wage, implementation of the February 5, 2026, Terms of Settlement reached with the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals, and action on the demands of the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council.
The Congress further demanded tax relief and immediate wage awards for workers, arguing that the measures were necessary to cushion the impact of rising living costs.
The NLC said, “The current national minimum wage has been rendered worthless by the relentless depreciation of the naira and the astronomical rise in the cost of living.”
It added that workers could no longer meet basic needs, including food, shelter, healthcare, transportation and education, on their current earnings.
The labour body, therefore, demanded that the Federal Government commence renegotiation of the national minimum wage before the end of October.
“NEC-in-session demands that the Federal Government commence the renegotiation of the national minimum wage before the end of this month,” the communiqué stated.
The Congress also linked the erosion of workers’ purchasing power to the high cost of petrol, saying the price of the commodity had continued to drive up transportation costs and the prices of other essential goods.
“The exorbitant pump price of petrol has had a cascading effect on the cost of transportation, food, and other essential goods, further deepening the hardship of workers and the masses,” it said.
The NLC further demanded that the government grant tax relief to workers and immediately introduce wage awards, describing the measures as “the bare minimum required to alleviate the suffering of Nigerian workers and restore a measure of dignity to their lives.”
The latest ultimatum escalates the labour movement’s pressure on the Federal Government after public-sector workers under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council embarked on a three-day warning strike earlier in October over rising living costs, petrol prices, wage awards and minimum wage negotiations.
The workers had demanded, among other measures, a reduction in petrol prices and the commencement of negotiations for a new minimum wage.
The NLC had also raised concerns in September over the declining purchasing power of workers, with Ajaero arguing that the N70,000 minimum wage had been overtaken by increases in the cost of food, transportation, housing, education and other essential expenses.
The current minimum wage was approved by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024 after negotiations involving the government, organised labour and the private sector.
Tinubu increased the Federal Government’s offer from N62,000 to N70,000 and agreed that the wage should be reviewed after three years rather than five years.
The NLC’s latest demand comes as the Federal Government announced fresh measures aimed at containing petrol-price pressures.
Yesterday, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the government was negotiating a ceiling of N1,350 per litre on the ex-gantry or landing cost of petrol, with monthly reviews, as part of measures to reduce price volatility.
The proposed ceiling does not mean petrol would necessarily sell at N1,350 per litre at filling stations.
The government also announced a 30-day discount on petrol dispensed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), with priority given to public transporters.
Oyedele said the arrangement was not a return to subsidy but an effort to sell the product at cost.
However, the NLC is seeking a more substantial reduction, insisting that petrol should return to the price level that prevailed when the N70,000 minimum wage was enacted in 2024.
The Congress also called for the implementation of the agreement reached with JOHESU in February, as well as the demands presented by the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council.
It warned that failure to respond within the two-week period would have consequences.
“Failure of which the NLC will be compelled to take remedial steps as would be directed by the relevant organs,” the communiqué said.
The union consequently directed its affiliates and allies to remain prepared for further action.
“NEC-in-session reaffirms the historical responsibility of the NLC to resist all forms of exploitation and oppression,” it stated, urging its affiliates to remain “on high alert and fully prepared to engage in decisive efforts against all anti-people policies.”
The development also comes amid fresh labour tensions in Abuja, where the FCT Council of the NLC commenced an indefinite strike on Wednesday over disputes with the FCT Administration concerning teachers’ promotion policies.
The council directed workers across public and private establishments to withdraw their services after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum.
The latest NLC ultimatum puts renewed pressure on the Federal Government to address wage and fuel-price concerns as both sides grapple with disagreements over the implementation of previous labour agreements and measures to cushion the impact of economic reforms.
The NLC said its demands were aimed at protecting workers and the wider population from further deterioration in their standard of living, insisting that Nigerian workers must remain “resolute, organised, and uncompromising” in the struggle for improved living conditions.
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