A non-govermental orga
nization, Development Action Aid (DAA), has called for a new taxation system to help boost the nations ailing economy.
The country representative, Dr. Kenneth Living, who made the call in a chat with The Tide in the office in D/line, Port Harcourt also called for the enforcement if the “Pay As You Earn’ (PAYE) tax system, saying that presently, only those who work with the government actually follow the PAYE system of taxation.
Living noted that Nigeria was among the few countries that enjoyed low value added tax and stated that it was important that the country adopt a new value added tax system where the luxurious lifestyles of the rich are taxed as a way of boosting revenues in the period when nation is facing economic recession.
He reasoned that taxing wealthy Nigerians would help build the nation’s economy and provide protection for the poor.
According to him, “why should a single individual own a fleet of cars, private jet, even live in hotels and not pay for all that? Such people still go to the same markets, use the same infrastructure as the poor and pay the same price for commodities, while in reality he is gaining more from the economy, the middle class or low class civil servant”
He further said, “the rich should be taxed to maintain the roads, schools, hospitals and even markets to give the low income earner a new lease of life, infact the tax on imported goods should be reviewed to match the luxury cravings of the rich.
He explained that its about time “this country looked after the poor masses, this will infact produce more productive workforce, if a man has less worries he will concentrate more at work”.
He used the opportunity to call on wealthy individuals and corporate bodies that evade tax to refrain from doing so, saying, “you rob the nation’s coffers when you do that”, adding that taxation is another form of revenue generation which if properly executed could help rebuild the nation’s economy.

Tonye Nria-Dappa