Two more bills transmitted by the National Assembly to the Presidency have been denied assent by President Muhammadu Buhari.

This brings to 41 the total number of bills the President declined assent to since the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly on June 9, 2015.

Buhari conveyed his refusal to assent to the two bills – Nigeria Tourism Development Authority Bill and Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority Bill – in two separate letters sent to Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, and read at plenary on Wednesday.

Giving reasons for declining assent, the president said Section 14(d), Section 30(2d) of the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (Repeal and re-enactment) bill contradicts section 4 (1-3) and paragraph 60 (d) of the second schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended).

He particularly pooh-poohed “section 30 of the bill proposing to levy a tourism fee on all inbound international travelers, a tourism levy on all outbound travelers and a tourism departure contribution fee of one per cent per hotel room rate”, arguing that such levy will inimical to growth of tourism in Nigeria.

“Such flat fee has been fixed by the authority and a corporate tourism development levy of one per cent to be charged on the revenue of banks, telecommunications and other corporate entities. This will be inimical to the growth of the tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria and constitute an additional burden on the tourism business.”

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