Ekeretom:
Why not kill us at once??....... While they get allowance for sms, data, mms, etc we buy from our meagre salaries.... Still they want to take all away from us. Rubbish.

Quakertellicus1:







Well, I am not a zombie, or a wailer, but I can see the sense in government charging taxes on calls.

You see....today, oil prices are now $50 per barrel, and not too long ago they were $29 a barrel. In 2013....oil was $112 per barrel.

That means every barrel of oil we sell in Nigeria now....we are earning $62 less than we earned in 2013.

And oil sadly is our main source of revenue (and don't start singing agric. Agric is not the money spinner it once was. Neither is mining).

And if you recall.....we do not control the price of oil (Or for that matter cocoa,palmoil , groundnut or cotton. Or solid minerals).

When the source of your revenue goes down.....you have to look for other sources of revenue. it takes time to diversify.....ie YEARS. Meanwhile,we need the cash now to pay salaries,build things, keep subsidizing education and so on.

So taxes have to go up.....and new ones have to be found.

Or we take a loan from the IMF ......AND use the money to keep on pretending all is well.(We still have to take loans from the IMF).

And here is the cold reality. Oil is not going to rise again , and we cannot diversify into agric or mining because prices there are low too.(Most agric dependent African countries have their budgets written for them by international aid agenices You want that?)

Nigerians.....we are paying the price for years of relying on oil. And the only way out is more austerity measures....so that we can have the cash to fix the lights and transport...so that we can become industrial Not selling raw materials like this APC govt and their PDP predecessors and most of their Army precursors did.

So stop wailing, stop zombeisim. and face the fact. We are not a rich nation. This oil price fall has shown us the truth. And an oil price rise is not the answer to our problems.

Pay your taxes .THERE IS NO NATIONAL CAKE.

hornybee:
Lemme just buy fuel for thunder generator. No b small thunder go faya una.

Johnrake69:



He should expand the tax base so that the same money then goes back to fund the extravagant lifestyle of government officials. Are we all so foolish in this country? Presidency has more than 5 private jets, #1.7billion for food, #4.5billion for health care but still travels to UK for ear treatment. We maintain two legislative houses only so they can pass laws like providing life Pensions for their members.

These issues must be addressed before we can support the introduction of further taxes.

Gaborone:
I totally agree with this President of ATCON, this would worsen the already bad case of double taxation.

Additionally, I think this shows a total lack of ingenuity and ideas. I say so because, here they are, so excited about introducing this as an answer to the drive of the government for revenue, forgetting that those who would have to pay are already crumbling under the weight of poverty and lack. They just cannot think of alternative ways of bolstering the economy, so, they gloss over the problem and take the easy route which would culminate in adding more stress to people.

The most painful part of it all is that, this sounds like a bill which President Buhari would speedily give his assent to.

Onegai:


Paying taxes on the one sector that is functioning and still growing is asking Nigeria to be sent back to 1920s. There is no money and no source of income, inflation is rising and salaries are stalled. Where exactly are the masses going to pay for taxes from? Instead this will force people to turn Telecommunications into something that is a luxury, effectively crippling the Technological Growth you so badly crave for and write about constantly. Nigeria is poor but the people who made it poor are in power looting away still. Not one single governor or political has agreed to give up their allowances, talkless of salary cuts. Not one governor reduced the number of Commissioner or aides. Even ex-governors are getting huge pensions. Which is why any loans we take all waste: the money will be spent on maintaining them. So the masses must resist any form of passing the buck if the government itself doesn't start cleaning up their expenditures.

Nigerians are not serious: no other country will accept this nonsense. By now there would be riots and people will have seized the airports to prevent politicians from fleeing.

francisbarrack:


Wise talk. I voted for there sweet talk then. O tiii su wa. Noone of there children is in nigeria .

Johnrake69:



It's really sad. But we definitely can't continue like this.

989900:
The people have to reject this -- this is robbery!

Where is Femi Falana, Tinubu and co. now?

ideology:
oga, i know you, i also know that you voted for this scam, hehehe enjoy with me

ideology:
they last time NLC. went on strike, didn't you notice what happened?

Gaborone:
I totally agree with this President of ATCON, this would worsen the already bad case of double taxation.

Additionally, I think this shows a total lack of ingenuity and ideas. I say so because, here they are, so excited about introducing this as an answer to the drive of the government for revenue, forgetting that those who would have to pay are already crumbling under the weight of poverty and lack. They just cannot think of alternative ways of bolstering the economy, so, they gloss over the problem and take the easy route which would culminate in adding more stress to people.

The most painful part of it all is that, this sounds like a bill which President Buhari would speedily give his assent to.

ericuzor:
By Naomi Uzor



Mrs Nike Akande, President of LCCI called for a friendly tax environment especially in view of the difficult business environment.

“We know that the government is seeking to diversify its revenue base in the light of dwindling oil revenue. But it is also true that the private sector players will like to see an investment friendly tax environment, especially in the light of the prevailing high cost of doing business in the country. It is important to balance these two positions.”

Mr Bimbo Atilola, Chairman, LCCI Taxation and Commercial Law Committee said that the bill negated the principle of neutrality in taxation, as it would affect consumers’ behaviour through reduced spending. He appealed that the passage of the bill be suspended to allow for rapid growth of the telecoms sector, in line with the Nigerian National Broadband Plan.

“If the bill must be passed into law, NASS should make the telecoms sector exempted under VAT Act and the rate reduced from nine per cent to five per cent. There is a need to protect the ultimate interest of the final consumers of the service,” Atilola said.

Mr Taiwo Oyedele, Partner, PriceWaterCoopers said that the N20 billion monthly projected revenue from the bill was unrealistic and based on assumption.

According to him, increased taxation will reduce the consumption pattern of consumers, lower investment in the sector, thereby translating to reduced revenue.

Mr Teniola Olusola, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) said that their members were overburdened with multiple taxation.

He urged the government to discontinue the bill, adding that it would reduce inflow of FDI into the sector, reduce subscribers level of data consumption and affect contribution of the sector to GDP. Engr Gbenga Adebayo, President, Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) said that the bill if passed into law would retard the growth of the sector.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/nigerians-pay-9-tax-calls-sms-mms-data-others/

Quakertellicus1:


Yeah,, them oil price is not high like it used to be

Fact is....we are a poor nation. When oil price was high...we paid no taxes.

Remember how Sanusi Lamido Sanusi removed ATM charges? (and even his enemies hailed him). Well....back then oil was above $90 per barrel. We could afford to do that as a result.

Remember when Emefiele brought it back? Oil was on a downward trend then. We could no longer afford to stop taxing ATM cards like we used to.

When a country's main revenue earner loses cash.....you have to start raising the taxes. And every oil producer is doing it.

We cannot afford surbsidy. Sorry....but it is the price we pay for relying on oil.

hornybee:
Lemme just buy fuel for thunder generator. No b small thunder go faya una.

lonelydora:
I regret supporting and voting for Buhari. He has nothing to offer. Confused government.

ericuzor:
By Naomi Uzor
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, on CST bill which seeks to levy nine per cent on subscribers for the use of the various communication services, Shittu said the outcome of deliberations on the bill would form the basis of his advice to the President.

The services include voice call, SMS, MMS, Data usage from telecommunication service providers, internet service providers and Pay TV Stations.

He noted that introduction of new taxes without harmonising existing ones would put pressure on the country’s tax system thereby making it unattractive to investors.

According to the minister”This may also be counter-productive in the long run for our targets on broadband penetration. Our ICT Roadmap gives fresh impetus for implementing existing policies and reviewing any that is inimical to the growth of the sector. My focus on any tax regime will be to align any process that will stimulate the economy and also ensure that the tax system is efficient by widening the tax net. It is also to create an effective framework for tax compliance to protect the poor and vulnerable in the society who nonetheless have to use telecoms services for social inclusion and financial services.”

He said that the government’s efforts at increasing its revenue made the bill worthy of consideration.

“I have been reliably informed that the projected earnings from this effort is over N20 billion every month, which is an attraction to the government for funding our budget deficits. I must be quick to say that this government has a human face twined around its decisions,” Shittu said. The minister said that the government would provide an enabling environment for the ICT and telecommunication sector to thrive through the enactment of relevant legislation.

Mrs Nike Akande, President of LCCI called for a friendly tax environment especially in view of the difficult business environment.

“We know that the government is seeking to diversify its revenue base in the light of dwindling oil revenue. But it is also true that the private sector players will like to see an investment friendly tax environment, especially in the light of the prevailing high cost of doing business in the country. It is important to balance these two positions.”

Mr Bimbo Atilola, Chairman, LCCI Taxation and Commercial Law Committee said that the bill negated the principle of neutrality in taxation, as it would affect consumers’ behaviour through reduced spending. He appealed that the passage of the bill be suspended to allow for rapid growth of the telecoms sector, in line with the Nigerian National Broadband Plan.

“If the bill must be passed into law, NASS should make the telecoms sector exempted under VAT Act and the rate reduced from nine per cent to five per cent. There is a need to protect the ultimate interest of the final consumers of the service,” Atilola said.

Mr Taiwo Oyedele, Partner, PriceWaterCoopers said that the N20 billion monthly projected revenue from the bill was unrealistic and based on assumption.

According to him, increased taxation will reduce the consumption pattern of consumers, lower investment in the sector, thereby translating to reduced revenue.

Mr Teniola Olusola, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) said that their members were overburdened with multiple taxation.

He urged the government to discontinue the bill, adding that it would reduce inflow of FDI into the sector, reduce subscribers level of data consumption and affect contribution of the sector to GDP. Engr Gbenga Adebayo, President, Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) said that the bill if passed into law would retard the growth of the sector.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/nigerians-pay-9-tax-calls-sms-mms-data-others/

ideology:
abeg what is the minimum wage of UK, compared to Nigeria, how much do you buy fuel per litre in UK compare that will Nigeria, when you are done, i have hypo for you, use it and wash your brain

Turks:
Kuku Tax us for being alive

bigfather:

Jok3r:




i work i pay tax
i sub for dstv, dem colect tax
firs i pay tax
my car i pay tax


even mtn i dey pay tax cos dem dy colect my credit nd data bundle lik say i owe dem


nw una wan colect tax if i load nd i make call...



the thunder wey go fire una as una start dis tax colection stil dey do press up dey wait for una...

forray:


Will u shut up with all this ur nonsense oil talk. What is ur own. Why is it the citizen the one to bear the load. Is the anything wrong in Buhari and his cabinet cutting their salary and allowance to reduce cost or is there anything wrong in reducing the rubbish senator or reps. U keep saying the price of oil dropped, but this government is feeding with one billion naira for a year and continue with the expensive system of government.

Last weekend we had to come out to put the road in my street in other ourselves, generate my own water and light, can't even make use of government hospital despite all the tax I pay and u are hear spewing jargons.

Well I don't blame individuals like u, u still living off somebody, maybe ur parents. Cos no sane person will gladly part with his or her hard earn money in the name of tax to the useless bunch of individual we call government.