The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other critical stakeholders will gather tomorrow in Ibadan, Oyo State, to hold a national dialogue on the Federal Government’s proposed Tax Bill.
The move, the Congress said, was to collectively co-create a new national tax law that would enjoy wider acceptance and fulfil its purpose of propelling national development.
The Guardian gathered that there were complaints from all the six geo-political zones over excessive taxation imposed by governors on workers as part of the implementation of the new N70,000 minimum wage during the last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the NLC in Owerri, Imo State.
At the meeting, the NLC had faulted the exclusion of organised labour from the taxation discourse, which necessitated the issuance of a communiqué to convey its dissatisfaction.
Its President and General Secretary, Joe Ajaero and Emmanuel Ugboaja, respectively, in the communiqué, had said: “NLC emphasises that the primary aim of taxation is to generate revenue for running the government. However, the justification of any tax system lies in its impact on the lives of the people. A fair and equitable tax system must prioritise fiscal discipline, transparency, and effectiveness in the use of tax funds to deliver tangible benefits to the citizenry.
“The NLC strongly asserts that discussions on taxation in a serious nation cannot exclude those who bear the brunt of the tax burden. The exclusion of organised labour in the formulation of the current Tax Bill is unacceptable and undermines the principles of tax justice. If labour is not at the table, it is effectively on the menu.
“The Congress demands that the Tax Bill currently before the National Assembly be halted for broader consultation and meaningful engagement with Nigerian workers. The politicisation of the Bill and alienation of key stakeholders is worrying and robs it of its capacity as an effective tool to revamp the economy and develop our nation. We must go back to this basic. Only through inclusive dialogue can we ensure a just and equitable tax system that benefits all citizens.”
One of the national leaders of the NLC, who spoke on the issue, said the move called for a fair and equitable tax system based on fiscal discipline, transparency, and effectiveness in the use of tax funds to deliver tangible benefits to the citizenry.
“The sad thing is that this complaint is not an isolated case. We received complaints from all parts of the country. That is, South-East, South-South, South-West, North-East, North-West, and North-Central. It is only in Kogi that workers pressurised the governor and got a year’s tax relief.
“It is saddening that despite the huge amount of money these governors receive monthly from the Federation Account as well as their internally generated revenue (IGR), they do not care about the welfare and well-being of the citizens, especially workers.
“As a follow-up, NLC is organising a national dialogue on taxation. We are bringing in a professor, who is an expert, to discuss the tax reform bills. After his presentation, members of the NEC and the Central Working Committee (CWC) will ask questions on how reform affects workers’ welfare and well-being.
“From the dialogue, we shall take our position on the tax reform bills to the National Assembly as workers’ position on taxation. We will also launch the South-West Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses.”
Peoplesmind
