Anger swelled up across the country yesterday as Nigerians pondered the introduction of N5 tax per litre of imported fuel advocated by the Senate.
Individual Nigerians and groups who spoke with our correspondents in different interviews yesterday were unanimous in asking the upper chamber to drop the idea.
The Secretary General of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr. Anthony N. Z Sani, amongst was the planned fuel tax ill-timed.
Among other proposals, the National Roads Fund (establishment) Bill 2017, which passed the second reading in the Green Chamber on Thursday, seeks the introduction of the tax on non-locally refined petroleum products.
The ACF scribe said that increasing the fuel pump price at a time most Nigerians find it hard to meet basic needs due to economic recession is not good for the country.
He is of the opinion that while “there is the need for sources of funding needed for maintenance of roads, the National Assembly should be more realistic when it comes to taxation and methods of taxing the people.
”He added: “Nigerians are finding it hard to take basic needs for granted due largely to the downturn in the economy.
“So, the National Assembly should consider the appropriate timing for any taxation. What is more, N5 extra per litre is like indirect tax which does not make the people feel civil sense of responsibility that government’s money is their own.“I would prefer some form of aggressive direct taxation at appropriate time, which would make Nigerians believe government is truly funded by tax payers’ money.“Such practice would make Nigerians hold government accountable and make the people make judicious use of their democratic rights and ensure that votes count so that the ensuing leaders would be accountable.“That would also make Nigerians to vote on real issues of real concern to real ordinary Nigerians as against the present practice where people vote more on religion and ethnicity, which are not helpful.”
posted from Bloggeroid
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