Tax

Workers in Nigeria have raised alarm over the unfair taxation of their monthly salaries by the federal and state governments.

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The workers under the aegis of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) raised this alarm in a letter titled PROTEST AGAINST EXPLOITATION OF WORKERS BY THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT, THE COMPROMISE OF LABOR UNIONS, AND NOTIFICATIONS FOR INDEFINITE PROTEST FROM 22ND APRIL 2025 BY FEDERAL WORKERS, addressed to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and signed by the National Coordinator (FWF), Comrade Andrew Emelieze, and Secretary General, Comrade Itoro Obong.

"Federal workers" salaries and ALLOWANCES are equally heavily taxed, and no tax rebate or certificate is issued to the workers at the end of the year. Despite the poor national minimum wage, the federal government in Nigeria has continued to owe federal workers lots of arrears of allowances, promotion arrears, hazard allowances, duty tour allowance (DTA), etc. This we have seen leading to agitations among health sector workers, education sector workers, and many others.

It will interest the ILO to note that the federal government of Nigeria has owed all federal government workers in Nigeria a five-month wage award worth 175,000 naira per worker since July 2024.''

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''The workers also lamented the deceitful implementation of the N70,000 new minimum wage by the government, saying, More painful is the fact that the last national minimum wage of 70,000 naira was implemented without an agreed table with the organized labor representatives, and in the end only a meager 40,000 naira was what was added to the salaries of all federal workers across all levels in Nigeria. More painful is the fact that our industrial unions and their labor centers of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) never at any instance queried the new national minimum wage table, nor did they query the federal government over the arrears of five months wage award balance payment to the federal workers or others being owed the federal workers.

''The President has been very unfair and hostile to the Nigerian workers. While salaries have remained abysmally poor, President Tinubu and his team have continued to attack workers through their anti-worker policies, as we have seen in hikes in the price of petroleum products, the deliberate devaluation of our national currency (the naira), and hikes in the price of everything in the face of double-digit inflation. President Tinubu is subjecting the Nigerian workers to hellish conditions, and he has shown a lack of interest in the well-being of the workers.

The Nigerian government has also severely flouted the international conventions of the ILO cum UN aimed at promoting decent work conditions and fair pay for work done. The situation in Nigeria is an existential threat to the general populace in the country and a threat to world peace and security. ''They concluded.

The prophetic statement of Jesus Christ that we should give onto Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar and onto God what belongs to God. This is a very convincing explanation of the concept of tax.
In the religious circles, although grossly abused when accrued wealth from tax is not directed towards the development of the entire system of the contributors, but rather into the pockets of the founder.
The concept of tax could be described as a compulsory contribution levied upon persons, property, or business for the support of the government as an important source for Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) to be able to meet up with the major objectives and focus of the prepared budget to run the vital administrative and management demand of governance.
It is imperative for all and sundry to ensure they carry out their civic responsibilities to ensure that the government is not short of funds to provide the basic needs of the people.

In the same vein, if the government fails to provide for the people, there would be reactionary activities by the people.
A comparative analysis of the developed world and Africa exposes the lukewarm attitude of the people in the payment of taxes to the government. This is due to the endemic corruption which has characterized governance in Africa.
The issue of corruption, therefore,  must be tackled by every available means to create space for good governance and development.
Taxes that are paid in an environment of transparency and accountability will meet up with the trust of the people to willingly get set to pay their dues or taxes without compulsion, threats, or intimidation.

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The Federal and State Governments have been called upon  to emulate  the Akwa Ibom state Government by giving tax waivers to Nigerians.

This call was made by the All Workers Convergence(AWC),through its National Coordinator,Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''The AWC calls on the Federal Government to emulate the Akwa Ibom state Government by giving tax holiday to workers and all those in businesses badly affected  by the coronavirus pandemic. Government should for once  show signs of commitment to the people and reduce hardships, suffering and exploitation of the people knowing fully well that government never supported tax payers during the lock down as was the case in other countries,'' Comrade Emelieze noted.

The Ugandan Government is planning to review the tax regime it recently introduced on Social Media.

The government's decision is coming on the heels of street protests against the tax in the country's capital by Ugandans.

According to the Prime Minister, Ruhakama Rugunda, the government had taken into consideration the  response of the public to the tax.

"Government is now reviewing the taxes taking into consideration the concerns of the public and an amended bill will be debated on July 19," said Rugunda.

 A levy of Ush200 (or Sh6) per person on a daily basis was introduced by government, before users could be able to access WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Mobile internet users are required  to input a code on their phones to pay the charge before they are able to access social media sites.