The former governorship candidate of Labour Party in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has kicked against the planned VAT Direct Initiative, a scheme that would enable FG to collect Value Added Taxes from the informal sector and reduce multiple taxations in the informal economy.
Recall that the federal overnment through the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, disclosed this in a statement on Monday afternoon, stating that it FIRS is partnering with the Market Traders Association of Nigeria to collect & remit VAT from their members especially those in the informal sector using a unified systems technology.
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The FIRS is the agency responsible for collecting Valued Added Taxes in Nigeria and other revenues accruable to the FG.
In his opinion, Rhodes-Vivour opined that the initiative is another layer of multiple taxation on the already suffering masses as unofficial rates collectors like iyaloja (market leader) and agberos (touts) pack up their activities.
“Do these people realise the level of suffering that’s already in place. Will iyaloja, Agberos, and LG agents stop collecting, or will this be another layer of the multiple taxation on the suffering masses. In time,he might just realise Nigeria is not Lagos,” he stated.
FIRS had, however, claimed this scheme will help tackle multiple taxations in the marketplace through partnerships with security agencies to curb the activities of touts and self-imposed tax collectors.
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
