NLC demands more dialogue on tax reform bills

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has urged the government to engage in dialogue with the union on the Tax Reform Bill to allow its members to contribute their inputs.

Ajaero made this known at the NLC secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, during a dialogue on the Tax Reform Bill organised by the NLC Central Working Committee and the inauguration of ten Compressed Natural Gas buses donated by the union to the South West.

The NLC president observed that some aspects of the bill needed clarifications from the government for better understanding.

“I will implore everybody to read and understand what is embedded in the Tax Reform Bill. I think it’s all over the internet now on Google and social media. Also, the Federal Government did not include NLC in the dialogue of the Bill”.

Ajaero also implored members of the public to endeavour to go through the Bill to prevent misinterpretation, which could trigger misinformation.

Earlier in a lecture, a professor of accounting and financial development, Godwin Oyedokun, explained that the Bill needed to be understood by Nigerians to avoid misinterpretation.\

Professor Oyedokun maintained that tax was inevitable and must be embraced by all for the development of any country.

“Rejection of the Bill by the labour unions in the country would not solve the issues of double taxation or high percentage deduction on personal income tax.

I will call on the Federal Government to invest more in infrastructural development as a way of improving the standard of living of average citizens.”.

Professor Oyedokun, however, encouraged Nigerians to acquaint themselves with the benefits of the tax bill.

While inaugurating the ten CNG buses, Oyo State Governor Engineer Seyi Makinde applauded NLC for the gesture.

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Chief Bayo Lawal, Makinde called on NLC to get more CNG buses for the use of workers and people of the state.