‘You talk before you think’ – NLC blasts Akpabio over tax statement  

An official of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has challenged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over assertions that barely 30 per cent of Nigerians pay tax.
Akpabio, who made the statement while declaring open a two-day public hearing on the controversial tax reforms legislation hosted by the Senate in Abuja yesterday, also termed tax reforms as the future of Nigeria which must be gotten properly.

Speaking to Vanguard, the NLC official who spoke under the condition of anonymity said that a government that is unaccountable to the people should not expect the population to take the issue of donating their hard earned money to such irresponsible administration.

He remarked that government officials live flamboyantly at the cost of the Nigerian people.

He remarked, “citizens can only pursue the civic duty of paying their taxes when they see a connection between their survival and businesses on the positive actions of government.”

Akpabio, like many politicians, says before he thinks. With the massive income pouring from oil and other natural resources, there has been nothing to show for it, save that government officials live flamboyantly at the expense of Nigerian people.

“A government that is unaccountable does not expect the citizenry to take the issue of contributing their hard earned resources.

“You cannot tax poverty but wealth. If a government does not contribute or offer the enabling atmosphere for Nigerians to grow and build money, how would they feel confident in giving to the state?

‘’Citizens can only pursue the civic duty of paying their taxes when they see a connection between their survival and businesses on the positive actions of government, rather than a situation where people like Akpabio feather their nests with purchases of hundreds of millions worth of SUVs and take home humongous allowances while the masses wallow in penury.

The truth is that it is only the impoverished workers who pay their taxes dutifully every month. The wealthiest escape taxes and when you look at what they are proposing as tax bills again, they are trying to tax the poor workers to death.

“Government must govern properly and effectively to propel people to create wealth which can then be taxed. If the people do not feel confidence and linked to the government, they will not be driven to pay tax.”