… Says Policy Unfair to Unemployed
By Emmanuel Elebeke & Winifred Azubuike
The ActionAid Nigeria has called on Federal government to review its pronouncement on the January 2020 deadline that all Nigerians must produce their Tax Identification Number (TIN).
The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi made the call on Tuesday at the National Tax Summit organised by ActionAid Nigeria in collaboration with Tax Justice and Governance platform in Abuja.
According to her, the level of unemployment in the country is high and will be very difficult for an unemployed Nigerian to generate a TIN.
Recall that the Federal Government had made an announcement that effective from January 2020 Nigerians are required to produce their Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) before they can operate existing or new accounts.
The ActionAid boss urged that Nigerians who already have a Bank Verification Number (BVN) should be allowed to harmonize it with their TIN considering the alarming level of unemployment in the country.
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She further urged that FG should take the idea for consultation and look at whether the idea is sellable or not.
Ene said the country should be able to make Tax work for Nigerians, especially those who earn very little.
“If money for taxes are harnessed enough and widened by means of industrialization to create jobs for the masses, the money can work for us,” she said.
According to her, the two-day summit is seeking to look at people with multiple taxation, the issue of increase in VAT and more cooperate companies that can widen their tax base.
In his address, the Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), James Eustace called on government to widen the tax network and explore all possibilities to ensure that big businesses, big cooperation pay their correct share of taxes.
This he said will ensure that an effective regime is reviewed and implemented constructively so that Nigerians can get benefit for it.
VANGUARD