A former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr Samson Ayokunle, has asked President Bola Tinubu to stop multiple taxations by federal and state agencies on hungry Nigerians.
Ayokunle, also a former President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, was a guest on a television programme on Friday.
He urged the President to open up the economy of the country and mobilise investment into the agriculture and mining sectors to tap the goldmines locked up in them.
“Let’s delve into other aspects of our economy. Nigeria is rich, let’s explore, not just taxing, taxing. If you tax people, people will die. If you continue to tax them and tax them, they will die and if people die without fulfilling their life ambition, you will be held responsible.
“I know that the present President wants to help Nigerians but he should stop adding tax to tax but enough is enough. How will people survive? How will people breathe?” he asked.
“Tomorrow is not certain for many people with the way we are going and they are still raising more taxes, electricity tariff hike, and others. Where will people get these monies? Don’t you know the amount you pay them per month? Do you want to kill them or drive them away from the country?” he queried.
He lamented that Nigeria is many years behind considering the resources at the nation’s disposal when compared to the performance of the country.
“The economy is in shambles. The pains Nigerians are facing are unprecedented. I don’t know what to classify this whether it is hyperinflation or something else,” he said. “The cost of things has spiralled unimaginably that it is difficult for Nigerians to survive.”
The former CAN President said, “The new administration took some steps that were very good, and they also some steps if not many steps backward”.
He criticised the hastiness of the removal of petrol subsidy by the Tinubu administration, saying: “The hastiness without considering the implications, line by line, of petrol subsidy removal.”
“This government is trying to address the issue of foreign exchange but they have not gotten it. Something drastic must be done,” he said, adding that the economic situation has become unbearable for young people who can “no longer take it because hope deferred makes the heart weary”.
He, however, commended the student loan scheme by the current administration. He said the government should focus on investment in the agriculture sector to beat food inflation.
Peoplesmind
