News
Nigerian traders lament multiple taxations
Market Traders Association of Nigeria (MATAN) have decried multiple taxations by the government, warning that if not curtailed, it would lead to an increase in the price of goods and services which may affect many Nigerians.
They lamented that market men and women in Nigeria are facing a lot of crises in terms of multiple taxations and this has become unbearable.
Speaking in Ibadan at the Benefit Scheme Enrollment for Traders, which was flagged off at Adamasigba Stadium, the association through its National President, Hon Jamilu Abbas, informed that the event was to address the issue of multiple taxations imposed on traders in the country.
He said, “We are here to inaugurate state chapters of the association in South West for the benefits of the traders because without traders, there is no nation. We are here to tell Federal Government to help us address the issue of multiple taxation and insecurities. And we want Nigerians to know that we don’t have any political affiliation with any individual or political party. We are doing our business as market men and women in the country.”.
Also commenting, the Iyaloja-General and MATAN’s Chairman in Oyo State, Princess Folasade Nurudeen popularly known as “Abeo Oosa” in conjunction with Abbas flagged off the Market Traders Association of Nigeria(MATAN) of State Chapter where creme de la creme in the society thronged the occasion.
Abeo thanked God Almighty for making the programme a laudable and unique one, despite many obvious obstacles that appear to challenge its possibility.
She promised to run the governance of inclusiveness, avoid disappointing all members and however enjoined the new executive members to justify the purpose they were brought on board.
In his remarks, the chairman of, the Project Committee of the Scheme, Amb Olakunle Johnson noted that the federal government is losing over N31trillion to illegal tax collectors who are extorting Nigerian traders.
He said traders paid a lot of money before their goods could get to their destination, adding that an increase in the dollar against the naira is also another problem for the traders.
“MATAN initiates enumeration of traders nationwide, we issue them multipurpose identity cards so that government at all level can have direct access to them irrespective to their status.
“We want to know the numbers of traders in Nigeria, Trader Money was shared analogue and this makes it difficult for all traders to benefit from it, and it failed to get to the grassroots”, Johnson added.
In his address, the Chairman, MATAN Board of Trustee, Hon. Muhammad Labaran said higher exorbitant charges and price inflation is a major challenge facing traders across the nation considering charges levied against them before their goods get to their final destination.
“Multiple taxations contribute to high exorbitant of the price of the commodity, we have resolved that the Federal Inland Revenue Service should invite all stakeholders in controlling and implementing price control such as Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MATAN and National Association of Small Scale and Medium Agriculture Mine and Power, who are critical stakeholders.
“In a meeting, we agreed that we want to eliminate the habit of multiple taxations on goods from the factory to consumers, until this is done, Nigerians will continue to suffer.”
He however said machinery is on the ground to enumerate all traders across the nation to have statistics and proper plan for them to have access to welfare and assistance from the government.
He lamented that the majority of traders in urban and rural areas are not going properly accommodated by the government due to a lack of data.
“We have set up the machinery to go from local government to local government to compile all names of the traders for them to have financial assistance and other welfare as a member of this organization.”
As Nigerians celebrate Christmas amidst festivities and reflections, the Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo state, Engr. Aderemi Oseni has sent a heartfelt message to Nigerians, emphasising the importance of unity, compassion, and selflessness in nation-building.
In his Christmas message on Wednesday, contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the lawmaker described the season as a time to reflect on the love and sacrifice demonstrated by the birth of Jesus Christ.
He urged citizens to embrace the spirit of giving, kindness, and shared humanity that Christmas symbolises.
“Christmas is a season of hope, joy, and renewal,” Oseni said. “It reminds us of our shared duty to show love to one another, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or political affiliations. Let us work together to foster unity and peace in our country, especially as we navigate through challenging times.”
The lawmaker also highlighted the significance of collective responsibility in nation-building.
“As we celebrate, we must remember the less privileged in our communities. Acts of charity and kindness, no matter how small, can make a significant impact on someone’s life,” he added.
The APC chieftain expressed gratitude to his constituents in Ibarapa East/Ido for their unwavering support, assuring them of his commitment to delivering more impactful governance.
He also called for patience and cooperation as the government works towards addressing issues affecting the nation, including infrastructure development, economic stability, and security.
“Let this Christmas inspire us to continue building bridges of hope and fostering the true Nigerian spirit of togetherness,” he stated.
As the year draws to a close, Oseni encouraged Nigerians to remain optimistic about the nation’s future, assuring them that better days lie ahead with collective effort and unwavering faith.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has initiated enforcement action against five airlines—two international and three domestic operators—for various violations of its regulations under Part 19.
The offenses include non-payment of passenger refunds within the stipulated timeframe, non-responsiveness to NCAA directives, mishandling of luggage, short-landed baggage, delayed and canceled flights, among other infractions.
Addressing journalists at the NCAA’s corporate headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, Michael Achimugu, the Authority’s spokesman, stated that airlines must adhere to regulations regarding flight disruptions. He emphasized that failure to comply attracts sanctions.
“Although airlines are not always responsible for flight disruptions, NCAA regulations stipulate actions that airlines must take during such incidents. Failure to comply attracts various levels of sanctions,” Achimugu said.
He reminded airlines of the NCAA’s recent directive mandating refunds to passengers within 14 days for online ticket purchases and immediate cash refunds for tickets bought with cash.
The yuletide season has seen a rise in passenger complaints about delays and cancellations, largely attributed to harmattan-induced poor visibility. Achimugu clarified that airlines are not liable for cancellations due to force majeure but stressed that the enforcement actions are for cases where airlines are found at fault.
“This is harmattan season, so there is poor visibility. Flights must get canceled. This is force majeure, and the airlines do not owe passengers anything in those instances. The enforcement we are initiating today is on cases where the airline is deemed to have been at fault. More will come,” he explained.
Achimugu further disclosed that the NCAA would summon the chief executives of all airlines this week to address flight disruptions and regulatory breaches.
While the names of the sanctioned airlines were not officially revealed, sources close to the Authority identified them as Ethiopian Airways, Royal Maroc Airways, Arik Air, Aero Contractors, and Air Peace.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Nentawe Yilwatda, has announced the Federal Government’s plan to reach 15 million households, representing 75 million people, through its conditional cash transfer scheme.
Speaking on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Yilwatda explained that the initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to mitigating the economic hardships faced by vulnerable Nigerians.
“The president was so specific,” Yilwatda noted.
“There are policies that he brought in to see if that can ease those challenges for people at the lower end of the pyramid. One of those policies is to reach out to 15 million beneficiaries under the conditional cash transfer, targeting households rather than individuals. Each household will receive ₦25,000 monthly, paid three times a year.”
Yilwatda further clarified that the 15 million households being targeted translate to 75 million Nigerians, assuming an average of five persons per household.
So far, the Federal Government has reached five million individuals but is facing challenges in fully sanitizing the social register, particularly with the implementation of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) policy mandating digital identities for transparency and traceability of payments.
“Currently, only 1.4 million people on the social register have digital identities. Many of those we are targeting are outside the formal banking system,” the minister disclosed.
Yilwatda emphasized that women are specifically targeted as household leaders under the program to ensure the funds are used effectively for the benefit of children and other vulnerable members of society.
The conditional cash transfer programme, which is administered under the National Social Investment Programme, had earlier been suspended by President Tinubu in January due to allegations of corruption. However, the scheme was reinstated in February, with plans to extend the initiative to an additional 12 million households.
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