2016 Budget: Senators seek heavy taxation of Nigerians


Senators yesterday on the second day of debate of the general principles of the 2016 budget of N6.08trillion in the Senate, called for heavy taxation of Nigerians to make up for the shortfalls that may arise in the projected revenues.

One of the projected revenues in the budget already crashing is the N820 billion oil revenue that is at a deficit of N395billion, given the drop in oil price to $27 per barrel as against $38 per barrel in the budget.

But, according to the senators, instead of relying heavily on borrowing substantially for the implementation of the budget, which goes by average of N500million daily, heavy taxation is a better option.

Leading the debate in this direction, the Senate Chief Whip, Olusola Adeyeye (APC Osun Central), said without spreading the dragnet of taxation in the country to all needed areas, there would be no money to fund the budget, especially in the face of dwindling oil revenues.

According to him, the country needs to go back to the model of governance used during the First Republic where every adult was made to pay tax, not now that only civil or public servants pay tax.

He said: “If we are going to move this country forward, we must go back to what we did in the days of Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and Nnamdi Azikiwe.

“Nobody in my village will go to his farm until he can produce his tax receipt; we need ingenuity to bring this to pass. We must begin to tax things like cigarettes, alcohol; you beat your wife, you pay heavily.

“Text messages cost N3.81 a page: if we add just N1 to a page of text message and we say that money belongs to government, we will make billions.

“We must install toll on roads, but that is not enough: across the world, when you park at any airport, you pay per hour; we must do what the rest of the world does.

“We must begin to tax allowances; Nigeria is the only country that shelters the bulk of the earnings of its workers and call them allowances. You don’t want your allowances taxed? They will be taxed because they must be taxed.”

For proceeds made from tax collections and other revenues of government to be properly used, Adeyeye asked the Senate’s Public Accounts Committee to be up to its responsibility as it was in the 7th Senate under the chairmanship of Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC Yobe North).

He specifically called on the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, not to allow recommendations of the committee against wastages in governance to be swept under the carpet, just as he called for cuts in governance at all levels and more effective oversight functions by the various Senate standing committees.

“I know that everybody in the Nigerian Senate is either a Chairman or a vice chairman of a committee, each of us therefore tries to defend whatever sector that has been committed to your care.

“When things go wrong, if you are APC, you will blame PDP; if you are PDP, you will blame APC: we forget one thing that every year, we were sent by our people here to monitor this budget and prevent them from failing.

“I duff my hat to the former chairman of public accounts who brought to this Senate most germane relevant document about abuses in the system, but we in this chamber refused to consider it.

“I pray to God that under your leadership, whatever is brought must be considered otherwise God will judge all of us, beginning from you.

“Lastly, if we are going to save this country, we must reduce the cost of government: there are too many parastatals and when you look at these parastatals, many of them have failed in their missions, we continue to protect them and give them money, it is time for them to go.

“We must go back to operation 504: there was a time when our President rode 504, go and stand in front of Eagle Square, see the cars judges, senators and ministers are riding.”

Still on the heavy borrowing plan in the budget, the Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Abiodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South) warned that if the budget is allowed to pass as it is drafted, it may send Nigeria back into the list of pariah states.

Olujimi said the budget only made projections for heavy revenues through massive borrowing without stating any plan for repayment of such loans.

She said as things are presently, the N6.08 trillion budget which came with a deficit of N2.2 trillion may end up having a deficit of N2.6trillion, which will invariably make the country to borrow average of N500million for its financing.

www.flatimes.com/2016/01/2016-budget-senators-seek-heavy-taxation-nigerians.html

Ok

This is time brace up, even the president is confused on what to do.

This government never prepared for governance. You want to tax the poor masses to buy 2016 prado and eat 1.7billion in aso rock. When a government decides to take from people it gave nothing in hard times, it will lead to a revolution.

Nobody is afraid of paying taxes, you want the average Nigerian to make sacrifices, then let the sacrifices start from you

na so.

Compulsory Taxation is a welcome idea for revenue generation but the word 'HEAVY' should removed from it. How can you pay a heavy tax when you income is pea but

Govt should also introduce property tax. Every property owned by people should be taxed, most govt officials and politicians with properties across the country should be made to pay property taxes.

This is what they practice i developed countries. Politicians build houses every where like birds because nobody tax them on properties..

Welcome to Chanjii !, these Senators who are evading taxes in their dealings are those clamouring for Taxation. All i see here is INFLATION and the common Nigerians bearing the brunt, prices of goods will increase drastically, Values of Naira will not be appreciated which will eventually lead to increased hardship and poverty.
APC are now facing the reality of governance, where is Fashola ?, '' if the kitchen is too hot for you........, you know what to do.

Why dnt we start with u motherfuckaz reducing your salaries and frivolous allowances?

What benefits do we enjoy from the government that we should now start paying all these taxes. I have my gen for my power, I have my borhole for my water, I pay for my owm security gaurds. Mcheeeeww the government should pay taxes to me !

Realist2:
Welcome to Chanjii !, these Senators who are evading taxes in their dealings are those clamouring for Taxation. All i see here is INFLATION and the common Nigerians bearing the brunt, prices of goods will increase drastically, Values of Naira will not be appreciated which will eventually lead to increased hardship and poverty.
APC are now facing the reality of governance, where is Fashola ?, '' if the kitchen is too hot for you........, you know what to do.

I dnt blame u: in a country where the wrong is always the right thing..then any attempt to do the right thing will be like awming against the heavy tides.

Where is a sane world is the govt not collecting taxes, and collecting it effectively?

Why do u think Lagos generates much more?

Why do u think England was able to make the pounds stronger despite so many economic woes befalling them? Where do u think they get the money?

1shortblackboy:
What benefits do we enjoy from the government that we should now start paying all these taxes. I have my gen for my power, I have my borhole for my water, I pay for my owm security gaurds. Mcheeeeww the government should pay taxes to me !

u won't be taxed if u disconnect ur power cables and drill ur borehole. That's is no rocket science. But u are already being taxed for buying petrol, taxed thrubthe services rendered to you. Youbdnt need to knw it....

ahahah

Taxing people through text messages??




Nigeria is a failed business. Nigeria should be handed over to Entrepreneurs like Aliko Dangote.


He'd do better than all the Democratic leaders we've ever produced including Muhammadu Buhari

Ghen Ghen!!

Legislooters, why don't you dimwits tax yourselves first before moving to the poor masses.

We dey talk say money no dey pocket and this useless government wants to take the person hold. Ndi ara.

SLIDEwaxie:
I dnt blame u: in a country where the wrong is always the right thing..then any attempt to do the right thing will be like awming against the heavy tides.

Where is a sane world is the govt not collecting taxes, and collecting it effectively?

Why do u think Lagos generates much more?

Why do u think England was able to make the pounds stronger despite so many economic woes befalling them? Where do u think they get the money?

Dude don't compare at all, in those countries you mentioned, people actually feel the effect of their tax, not in a country like ours where our taxes are continuously embezzled by updating a website for 700 million and building a single borehole for 78 million.
Don't be a sycophant, demand good governance first before taxation.

What are the government or Senators doing to cut down their exorbitant allowances? People are losing their jobs everyday because of the mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds by certain few. I wonder, who are they going to tax? of course the weak who are struggling to feed or barely provide shelters for themselves. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 21st century slave.

talktimi:
Nobody is afraid of paying taxes, you want the average Nigerian to make sacrifices, then let the sacrifices start from you

Fact...

Emekamex:


Dude don't compare at all, in those countries you mentioned, people actually feel the effect of their tax, not in a country like ours where our taxes are continuously embezzled by updating a website for 700 million and building a single borehole for 78 million.
Don't be a sycophant, demand good governance first before taxation.

Or should we talk about the billions of loot stashed in foreign accounts that was returned back to Nigeria by the past administration, we didn't see the effect on the average nigerians instead of #Dasukigate would trending on Twitter with memes& Gifs.
So i agree with you we should demand good governance first

i will not pay any tax to zoo govt.

Demand details evade tax, yet dem dey find who go pay tax

SLIDEwaxie:
Why dnt we start with u motherfuckaz reducing your salaries and frivolous allowances?

They will never do that because they're foools, cowards & hypocrites.

Nothing pains me more than the fact that some zombies will still come here to defend these bunch of idiots called senators. And these zombies will start comparing Nigeria to England, United States and other developed countries where taxation is actually working. But what these fools refuse to ask themselves is if these people paying tax over there are jobless, underemployed or come back from work only to provide electricity for themselves, provide water for themselves, provide security for themselves? Or if senators in these developed countries they rush to mention are on fat allowances, luxury cars and all that.. The fools are taxing you to satisfy their greed. How can a sincere government be talking of taxing her people heavily yet no signs of sacrificing anything on their part.. Oil which is our major revenue generator is falling rapidly yet our stupid leaders, from presidency to legislatures are allocating billions to themselves for feeding and maintenance yet they preach the gospel of taxation to us and fools are applauding it?

Then why must thr budget be 6trillion if you cant fund it? Where is the austerity in the budget?

So that we take them serious, why not first do a downward review of the salaries they are collecting?


Other countries tax, how much is their minimum wage? How much is our? Do we have the necessary amenities on ground to drive growth? Is the light? A bulk of our money finds its way outside our shores due to importation. They should try and make bills to encourage local production and consumption instead of taxing us to finance their wanton wages.

This is exactly why we booted PDP out! How can a responsible government not tax its citizens HEAVILY and expect to survive? This CHANGE dey sweet pass honey.

the money must come from somewhere...now that oil is getting useless....

i am happy i already always paid my tax already by working....

I love to see Zoo people wailing

sai Babar

now,we nigerians can prove to our selfs,that we realy want progress.....

nothing is free in this world,not even death...


PAY YOUR TAX!!!

In a country where only the poor are taxed, and that, heavily. Where the rich are never taxed. And we want to move forward... ..

We talk about developed countries...... How many people can really afford luxuries? Even the white men would not build or buy a house they don't need for fear of taxation. But Nigerians prefer to buy big duplexes in these countries and still pay heavy taxes for what they aren't using, only in the name of having a house abroad



God dey watch sha

Sometimes I read comments and I laugh!

People act like they know