Zacchaeus Adedeji, special adviser to the president on
revenue, says the federal government has no intention to impose new taxes on
Nigerians.
Adedeji spoke during a media briefing at the presidential
villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
He said rather than introduce new taxes, the government
would ensure it improves collection of existing taxes.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu signed four executive
orders, including the suspension of the 5% excise tax on telecommunication
services, as well as the excise duties escalation on locally manufactured
products.
Responding to a question on whether the president’s action
would affect the petroleum tax and if new taxes would be introduced, Adedeji
said the intent of the president was to lighten tax burdens, harmonise and
manage already existing taxes in the best interest of Nigerians.
“As you rightly said that there’s a plan or possibly
proposal for petroleum tax, if you look at the current price templates, that
has already been included, so this suspension has nothing to do with that. So
the pricing structure that you have for PMS today, all those have been
included, there’s no new taxes that we’re bringing in,” the special adviser
said.
“Like my colleague has said, one of the key focus of this
administration is to harmonise our taxes, the way we collect it.
“Mr. President
actually wants to simplify and make it friendly to business, the way we operate
taxes in Nigeria. As we know, when we talk about the revenue management, it’s
not only in tax collection, the starting point is our economic policy because
our aim is not to tax poverty.
“Our aim is not to tax production. Our aim is to increase
our productive activities, capacity to produce, then we can tax our consumption
and that is the direction of our economic planning and then we want to increase
the trust that we have in the government.
“If you have observed what has happened in the last months
that we’ve been here, we’ve kept our words, part of what we are doing today,
just to increase this trust that we’re here to do what’s best for the country.
“Lastly, we have a robust plan to improve our collection
management and compliance management because that is what is needed.
“So we’re not going
to impose new taxes, it’s the one that we have that we’ll improve the
collection, the management and the efficient use of those resources.
“That is the pledge and promise of Mr. President, which
we’re here to make sure comes to reality.”
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