Labour Backs Rivers Taxes, Levies Harmonisation Bill

The Organised Labour in
the State has stated their support for the taxes and levies Harmonization bill
presently before the state House of Assembly.

Speaking to The Tide, the state chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC)
Comrade Chika Onuegbu, said the organised Labour are encouraged by the good
works of the state government to resolve the confusion and conflicts regarding
which tier of government, department or agency is the appropriate collection
authority for various taxes and levies in the state.

Comrade
Onuegbu said the taxes and levies harmonization bill is expected to streamline
the taxes and levies collectible in the state.

He said
prior to this bill many residents and business community in the state have had
to content with double or multiple payment of the same tax and levy, stressing
that the bill should address issues around the jurisdictional conflicts between
the various tiers of government with respect to the collection of taxes and
levies in the state.

The
labour leader said the position of
labour is that the bill should not be used as a ploy by the state
government to introduce any new form of taxes or levies in the state.

He said
labour’s position was informed by the surreptitious manner the Federal
government rather than increase the tax reliefs due to Nigerian workers
deceitfully increased the burden of the workers through the new Personal Income
Tax Amendment (PITAM) Act 2011.

Comrade
Onuegbu said workers today have noticed a sharp increase in their tax
liability, a huge reduction in their take home pay and the mesmerisation of the
salary increases via salary relativity and minimum wage.

He said
labour is not comfortable with the provision of section 1 (2) of the bill which
gave wide powers which should not be vested on a single officer. The provisions
of 1 (2) of the bill states “The Commissioner in Charge of Finance shall from
time to time modify the first and second schedules to this law by adding,
deleting or altering the schedules in order to bring them in conformity with
the provisions of any law providing for the payment of taxes and levies in the
state”.

The TUC
Chairman said the taxes and levies Harmonization bill must be consistent with
the relevant Federal Laws in streamlining and harmonizing all taxes and levies
approved for collection by the Federal State
and  Local Governments, stressing  that the State House of Assembly and the
State Government must act within the provision of the Taxes and Levies Approved
List for collection Act T2 LFN 2004 in all matters relating to taxes and levies
in the state.

The
Union leader further said that bill should not be used to circumvent the Taxes
and Levies Act T2 LFN 2004 by the state government.

Comrade Onuegbu appealed
to the Leadership of the State House of Assembly to consider the interest of
the workers and the Labour as raised stressing that the organised Labour will
not obey any law that is made deceitfully by calling for public hearing and
thereafter ignoring stakeholders views raised at the public hearing when
crafting the law.