B00M: We Cant Tax Nigerians To Raise Money - Ahmad Lawan Defends FG Borrowing

The senator stated that other countries tax their citizens, however Nigeria cannot adopt that method because the citizens are poor.

Lawan said this on Thursday, June 24, during an interview with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, in Abuja.

He assured that the legislators were not going to support or approve loans frivolously for the executive arm of government.

Lawan also noted that Nigeria's options for borrowing are limited.

"We'll also have the loan request from Mr. President. The loan request is to fund the 2021 Appropriation Act and of course, this is not a new request. It's something that we have passed in the MTEF and it's something that when we pass the budget 2021, we also passed that.

"What I want to assure Nigerians here is that we are not going to be frivolously supporting or approving loans for the executive arm of government. Our options are really very limited as a country. First, we don't have the necessary revenues, Nigeria is poor; we shouldn't deceive ourselves.

"You cannot, in my view and judgement, tax Nigerians further for you to raise the money for infrastructure development. Other countries do that, but we have serious situations across the country; so, you cannot put taxes on peopleÔÇØ the senate president said.