NOA sensitises Nigerians on tax reform bills, others
Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, DG NOA
Published By: Paul Dada
By Oboh Linus
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has urged citizens to disregard the misconceptions around the new tax reform bills, saying they are in the best interest of Nigerians.
Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director-General of NOA, stated this at press conference to create awareness on tax reform bills, security, get-rich-quick syndrome, human rights and HIV/AIDS, on Monday in Lafia.
Represented by Mallam Sule Haruna, Director, Finance and Accounts of the Agency, Issa-Onilu said that there have been a lot of misconceptions about the tax reform bills in the public domain.
He pointed out that a lot of those making negative comments about the new tax reform bills were not even conversant with the details and the inherent benefits.
Issa-Onilu said that Nigerians should have waited for the bills to be subjected to public hearing like every other legislation where citizens make their inputs and suggestions instead of discrediting bills outright.
According to him, the tax reform bills are in the best interest of Nigerians and will enhance the development of the country.
“For instance, part of the bill provides that any business with less than N50 million turnover will be exempted from from the new tax law if passed.
“Also, about 90 per cent of workers in the public and private sectors will no longer pay tax because the level of your earning will determine the amount you will pay.
“The bill says, if you are earning N800,000 per annum, you may not pay tax.
“It also stipulates that over 82 per cent of what low income earners consume will be free of Value Added Tax (VAT).
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“These are geared towards alleviating poverty as low income earners will get a lot of relief,” he said.
The director general said that the bills also seek to scrap over 50 nuisance taxes suffered by local businesses, thereby eliminating multiple consumption taxes collected by states and local government areas.
He said the move would go a long way in reducing the prices of goods and services consumed in the country.
“The Federal Government, recognising the closeness of the states and local government areas to the people, and the need for them to deliver on infrastructure and obligation to the people, decided to give the two tiers more share of the VAT revenue as capture in the bills.
“The federal government share of VAT is reduced from 15 per cent to 10 per cent, states are to get 55 per cent while LGAs get 35 per cent,” he said.
Issa-Onilu, therefore, urged citizens to support the new tax reform bill and discard the misconceptions that it was aimed at increasing the tax burden or punishing Nigerians.
In her remarks, Dr Priscilla Gondoaluor, Nasarawa State Director of NOA, said that the sensitisation programme with the theme: Promoting Awareness, Ethical Values and National Development, was part of the Agency’s mandate.
She said that the programme was designed to mobilise Nigerians to unite and commit to addressing some of the challenges facing the country, which required collective action and active participation of all Nigerians.
She highlighted the five key areas of the sensitisation to include security, awareness on HIV/AIDS, discouraging the get-rich-quick syndrome, especially amongst the youth, human rights as well as the new tax reform bills.
The state director said that NOA was collaborating with relevant stakeholders to carry on the message on the need for collective effort by both the government and citizens in order make Nigeria great.
(NAN)
