The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has cried out that President Muhammadu Buhari and his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are overburdening Nigerians with taxes and tariffs and care less about relieving the plight of the country’s suffering poor population.
Secondus lamented that while other world leaders are raising Stimulus in form of palliatives to cushion the biting effects of COVID-19 to their citizens, President Buhari is busy heaping more burden on the populace with his endless taxes and tariffs.
This action is strangulating the nation’s economy, killing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and causing investors flight to neighbouring countries where business environment is conducive and friendly.
“I find it laughable and contradictory that a regime that multiples the peoples taxes and hikes prices indiscriminately during this pandemic period is talking of lifting some Nigerians out of poverty with such draconian and insensitive policies that earned the country the ignoble title of capital of the world poor under the watch of President Buhari.”
Prince Secondus listed some of the taxes of this government on the Nigerian people that has increased their hardship to include, fuel hike, electricity tarrif, bank charges and increased Value Added Tax (VAT), among others.
“In September 2019 this government hiked VAT from 5 to 7.5 per cent; after the January 2016 introduction of N50 stamp duty by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); again in September 2019, it imposed charges on cash deposits and withdrawals above N500,000 for individuals and N3 million for corporate accounts.
“After February 2016, 45 per cent increase in electricity tariffs with a claim that it will result in a better power supply services, the regime has just announced another upward review of electricity tariffs from July 1, 2020 with power supply getting worse than ever.”
The main opposition leader said in a statement from his media office at the weekend that nothing underscores the insensitivity of the Buhari administration to the welfare of its citizens than the fact that they keep loading the people with more and more burden.
“The policy thrust of the Buhari administration has deliberately been set towards loading Nigerians with heavy burden through mindless tax hikes,” he lamented.
