Human rights advocacy group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project SERAP, has advised the Federal Government to drop its plan to impose 10 per cent tax on every phone call made, text message sent and data used by Nigerians.
Rather than impose the tax on Nigerians, the group advised the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federation Government to immediately roll out social protection programmes to alleviate the effect of harsh economy on the masses.
SERAP said this on Sunday in an open letter to the Federal Government by its Senior Staff counsel, Timothy Adewale.
The letter reads in part,
“SERAP calls on President Buhari to immediately drop the proposed 10 per cent tax on phone calls, text messages, data and more, as this would disproportionately affect the socially and economically-vulnerable and push them deeper into poverty and deprivation.
“Increased poverty and the hunger that it brings will threaten the right to life and health of many socially and economically-vulnerable, including women and children. These groups of people are bearing the brunt and feeling the impacts of the economic crisis on their standards of living, their jobs and their homes.
“We urge President Buhari to immediately provide economic stimulus packages that are focused on limiting the worst human consequences of the crisis, and give priority attention to the most vulnerable and marginalised in the distribution of resources.”
The group also urged Buhari to put pressure on the National Assembly to trim down its budget spending, which it noted was N115bn in 2016.
I really don’t understand why the Buhari Osinbajo administration seems to be forgetting the common man and average Nigerians. If this tax is imposed, isn’t it still the poor that will really feel it? Has minimum wage increased? Na wa o!
This clueless man should resign already….he has no good plans for this country
Clueless Government.They need to tread softly.Else,they will be booted out before their tenure ends by hungry and angry massess..
We don enter am #onechance remembered I once spoke against this and was tagged as #wailers and enemy of progress. They’re gradually stopping Nigerians from accessing social networks and baring our communications.
Is this the #change Nigerians voted for??? Since Buhari came into power am still struggling to find something positive the masses have really benefited from his govt. Besides I thought the recharge cards we use are already taxed??.
Manny the long lost MDB’er
This man and his cohorts are just looking for all the possible means to make the lives of the innocent Nigerians that brought him to power miserable! My question is: what are we being punished for? What did we do to this man and his agents to deserve all these inhumane sufferings he is mating out to the poor masses? Haba!!!