The senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has said the North is not parasitic as far as matters of economic survival are concerned.

Ndume in a statement yesterday, however, said all states and regions in the country need one another to survive no matter how rich.

The Borno senator was reacting to claims in some quarters that the North cannot survive on its own, and that northerners don’t like paying taxes.

The lawmaker said, “The North will never be a parasite or dependent on any region or even the country. We are assets not liability to Nigeria.

• 2025 budget: Scrapped N/Delta, sports ministries get N2.3trn
• Stampedes kill 213 Nigerians in 11 years

“Those who think that the current tax reforms is only against Northern interest are naive. As it is, the law is against all the low and middle income Nigerians.

“The FIRS should concentrate on expanding the tax net and collecting more. Also, accountability and transparency should be increased,” he said.