New Tax Policy: NLC Humbles Sylva

Twenty-four hours after the Bayelsa State Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had threatened trade dispute over outrageous tax deduction from civil servants monthly wages, the state Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, has chickened out from implementing the controversial personal Income Tax Act (PITA).
Bowing to the threat of organized labour in the state, Chief Sylva, however, set up a six member joint committee made up of government and labour officials with his Special Adviser on Legal Matters, Chief Denis Otiotio as chairman.
The committee, The Tide gathered is expected to visit states that have implemented the PITA to ascertain the mode of implementation and the percentage applicable in the respective states. On Monday, the leadership of NLC in the state had an emergency meeting to address the tax deduction which left some civil servants going half of their normal salary.
The state chairman of NLC, Comrade Ben Basuo in a swift reaction condemned the action of the state government.
However, a joint meeting between government and labour leader, the state Commissioner for Finance and Budget, Dr Silva Opuala-Charles, said the committee has one week to submit its findings to government.
He said arrangement would be made to refund those affected by the deduction while those yet to be affected will have their salaries in full pending the outcome of the committee’s investigation.
According to him, government will continue to initiate policies and programmes that would enhance staff welfare, stressing that, PITA when implemented, will also enhance better packages in which the administration is putting together for civil servants. In his reaction, the chairman of the state board of Internal Revenue, Mr Solomon Apreala, said the agitation of civil servants was not necessary because the new tax policy has already taken roots in some states of the federation.