By Steve Nwachukwu
Firstly, what are the inadequates, circumstances and challenges that can refer as Poverty (Poor)
By the United Nations Development Programme – UNDP United Nations (UN) definition standards, Poverty is simply defined as the inability of a person (Man or Woman) to provide his/her basic essential needs as when needed. The essentials here includes; Food, shelter, clothes, drugs and general Medical and educational needs.
The undisputable and empirical Statistics from National Bureau of Statistics confirms that over 140million Nigerians are sufferings from Multidimensional Poverty. The classification and the Multidimensional nomenclature referred here is because, Many Nigerians are not only sufferings from LACK of nutritious and Quality Food, Nigerians can’t afford Quality Education, Hospitals Bills and decent Homes etc, that’s the nomenclature of the Multidimensional Poverty.
The basket of Nigerians in this distasteful quagmire is expected to rise by the assessment of reputable international organisations as basic human needs are being affected by hikes in prices and shrinking disposable income of Nigerians to a toxic Taxation regime.
High inflation figures is an indirect Tax and it’s the most painful tax to the poor.
Taxation in all sense is basic and it’s a civic responsibility, citizens are obligated to pay Tax to service the general welfare of the society. While citizens are obligated to pay taxes, Levies and Duties, the Government has the responsibility to reciprocate by providing the citizens with basic social amenities to improve their QUALITY of LIFE and enhance the STANDARD of LIVING indices.
The pains many families face on daily basis to care for their wards and dependents are traumatic and they should not be burdened with additional financial strain in form of Taxation.
You cannot “Tax Poverty” means you should not inflict further financial pains on the POOR and downtrodden.
When the “Tax Man” my brother Taiwo Oyedele says he’s going after the multi-billionaire’s and multi-millionaires which he acknowledged are few in number, in fact according to Taiwo they constitutes less than 3% which implies he will be quick to run-over them and probably face the thousanaires in couple weeks.
The BOTTOM Line:
In as much as the Government has the right to IMPOSE Charges, Levies and Duties in form Tax, it’s suicidal and insensitive to suffocate the poor and downtrodden with harsh Tax reform policy that not only seeks to take from the poorest of the poor in the society to service the ostentatious and luxurious lifestyle of the Government Official’s but to an extent enriches the pockets of the few Political elites in power.
Nigeria can only attain Prosperity by applying financial discipline, Prudence in spending Public Fund and by Killing CORRUPTION, and stop elevating mediocracy over meritocracy, and by further elevating Merit-Base Projects over White Elephant Projects like Lagos-Calabar Coastal Supper-Highway.
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