It’s surprising to see people who are either widely travelled or formally educated, criticising and/or mocking the proposed increase in tax rate.
One who has travelled widely must have witnessed how taxes are imposed on almost everything, from parking, garbage collection to even burial space in graveyard.
All of these stuffs we get free here are not free there. In some climes, apart from VAT they also have what is known as GST (Goods and services tax). Virtually nothing is free!
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My little knowledge of the relationship between government and citizens is that of reciprocity. Everyone should fulfil their part of the bargain. However, due to trust issues, citizens were reluctant to do their part, thus leaving the leaders with limited resources to execute developmental projects. That was then!
Now, here is a man we trust, then what is wrong with the proposed 2.2% increase in VAT, when at the same time the government approved N1.9 trillion rail project? This is the reciprocity I am talking about. The 2.2% increase may not finance even half of the approved amount for the rail project, because the whole of the 5% VAT total collection in 2018 was N1.1 trillion.
We must learnt to resist social pressure from those who see nothing good in the man that the whole world respect and attest to his integrity! The only way to please wailers is to overthrow PMB and return to bad old days. God forbid!
Dr. Faruq lectures at Bauchi State University and can be reached via [email protected]
