Manufacturers back Tinubu for suspending 5% telecoms tax, implementation of  Finance Act

 

COMFORT EKELEME, Business Editor  and By Adekunle Adesuji

 

 

The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has commended the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sign executive orders deferring the commencement of the tax changes as contained in the Finance Act and Customs, Excise Tariff (Variation) Amendment Order.

 

NACCIMA in a statement signed it’s President,  Dele Kelvin Oye also supported the suspension of 5per cent excise tax on telecommunications services, the Excise Duties escalation on locally manufactured products, the Green Tax on Single Use Plastics, including plastic containers and bottles, and the Import Tax Adjustment levy on certain vehicles.

The association however,  urged the federal government to continue to engage with stakeholders and implement policies that are business-friendly and promote sustainable economic growth.

“We believe that the private sector is essential to achieving the government’s goal of higher Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and reduced unemployment rate through job creation.

“We appreciate the administration’s commitment to ensuring that Nigerian businesses are not unduly burdened by unfavourable policies.

 

“We note that the tax changes were intended to raise revenue while addressing important public health and environmental concerns,” NACCIMA said.

Speaking further, the association noted that the lack of adequate notice and clarity on the implementation of the changes has resulted in significant challenges for affected businesses, including rising costs, falling margins and capacity underutilization.

“We look forward to collaborating with the government to create an enabling business environment that will attract more investment into the country and enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian businesses”, the statement noted.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu says his government being a responsible government is conscious of the security situation in Nigeria and ready to address all the concerns of Nigerians on the issue.

Tinubu, represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, said this during the closing ceremony of the 2023 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) and 160th Anniversary of Nigerian Army on Thursday in Ibadan.

He assured Nigerians of his government’s resolve to address all threats and take care of national security challenges confronting the country within the shortest possible time.

The President said his administration would continue to do all it could and as permitted by the Constitution to ensure the safety of law-abiding citizens and the nation’s unity.

“I assure the Nigerian Army and the entire Armed Forces of my commitment to their welfare, and I will address the issue of equipment, insufficient funding and other factors constraining their efficient operation,” he said.

Tinubu added that his administration has put in place a mechanism that would comprehensively address all the challenges facing the Armed Forces for them to effectively carry out their operations.

While calling on all Nigerians to unite and shun all acts capable of dividing the nation, the President commended the Nigerian Army and other security agencies.

”I commend you for your joint efforts in tackling Boko Haram and I urge you to replicate same in tackling banditry and other criminals trying to destabilise the country,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, had said the Nigerian Army was living up to its constitutional role.

“The Army will continue to contribute to ensuring adequate domestic and global security through effective internal security and peace-keeping operations,” he said.

Lagbaja said activities of insurgency, terrorism, banditry and other forms of criminality facing the country have been greatly reduced by the concerted efforts of the Nigerian Army.

“Also, the Nigerian Army has made tremendous progress in the areas of professionalism annd administration as well as cooperation with sister agencies,” he said.

The COAS expressed his gratitude to President Tinubu for his constant support and inspiration, and pledged his loyalty to the President and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Present at the occasion were the Chief of Defence Staff, Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Abubakar.

Other dignitaries present were a representative of Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, two former Chiefs of Army Staff, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other traditional leaders.

. Signs 4 Executive Orders, pledges support for NPC, insists on data integrity.

 Also, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday in Abuja expressed his unwavering support for the National Population Commission (NPC) to conduct an accurate Population and Housing Census in the country.

 

He, however, emphasized the need for the commission to be prudent in their assignment and work towards producing census data that would be credible and reliable.

 

Speaking at the State House in Abuja after receiving a briefing from NPC Chairman, Nasir Isa Kwarra, the President expressed concern over the delay in conducting another enumeration in the country since the last exercise done in 2006.

 

He urged the NPC to view this delay as an opportunity to cash in on the advantages of the current electronic and digital age.

 

”It is disappointing that up until now we have not been able to conduct another enumeration of our people. I hope that this delay will be converted to a great opportunity in this electronic and digital age.

 

”The challenge is yours and I hope that during the demarcation you did, you would have noticed the migration of people to urban centers because of the extreme poverty and unemployment.

 

”Digitalizing the process will make your job easier and I don’t see why we don’t, by now, have a reliable database in Nigeria to identify ourselves and ascertain our numbers for planning purposes and  in time of disaster.

 

”I have listened to you and we will support you. Accuracy and integrity of your data is very important to Nigerians and for our national economic development programmes.

 

”We will support you but you have to be prudent and be determined to make a name for yourself. Goodluck, ” the President said.

 

In his remarks, the NPC Chairman noted that the Commission was on the verge of conducting the final training for the Census before they were caught up with the transition programme for a new government and funding challenges, necessitating the postponement of the exercise by the immediate-past President.

 

He briefed the President on the Implementation Status of the 2023 Population and Housing Census, requesting the issuance of a proclamation for a new Census date later this year or early next year.

 

Kwarra also highlighted the funding challenges faced by the Commission, saying they were waiting on the President to support NPC and give the go-ahead for the conduct of the census.

 

He said the commission had demarcated the entire country, stating that only one or the two places were left and that this would be done soon.

 

Kwarra said the commission had also trained 60,000 instructors that would further train enumerators and supervisors.

 

In a paper titled “Implementation Status of the 2023 Population and Housing Census,” the NPC requested the release of the allocated N31 billion capital allocation, in the 2023 budget, for preparatory activities.

 

The commission put the total cost of the Census, after a methodology review, at N546.72 billion.

 

Kwarra also requested the President’s approval for an additional N225.2 billion to cover training and fieldwork allowances, retraining of trainers, and the conduct of a second-class Trial Census.

 

President Tinubu was also asked to approve and convene a stakeholders meeting with the organized private sector and foreign partners to galvanise funds for the Census.

 

Kwarra informed the President that Nigeria has developed a database that can be useful in national planning, infrastructure development, and revenue generation for the government.

 

”NPC having completed Mapping in March 2022, tested the market with the geospatial data by making it available to researchers at a ‘test price’ where it generated over N50 million through REMITA.

 

”To this end, with a full integrated spatial and statistical data, government geospatial policy and coordination, NPC can generate up to 14 billion dollars and further save a lot of resources for the nation through automation of economic planning by 2028,” he said.

 

However, The Chairman of the National Population Census, Nasir Kwarra, Thursday  requested for for an additional N225.2 billion to cover training and fieldwork allowances, retraining of trainers, and the conduct of a second-class .

 

Kwara who  was at the State House to brief the President on the Implementation Status of the 2023 Population and Housing Census, where he requested the issuance of a proclamation for a new Census date later in 2022 or early 2024

 

The NPC boss demanded for  the release of the allocated N31 billion capital allocation, in the 2023 budget, for preparatory activities ahead of the exercis  pegging the total cost of the exercise at N546.72 billion.

 

 

The President’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, revealed this in a statement he signed on Thursday titled ‘Population Census: President Tinubu pledges support for NPC, calls for data integrity.’

 

 

The NPC Chairman noted that the Commission had trained 60,000 instructors who would further train enumerators and supervisors.

 

He said plans were being concluded for final training but were disrupted due to the transition programme for a new government and funding challenges.

 

This necessitated the postponement of the exercise by the immediate-past President Muhammadu Buhari, he explained.

 

 

Kwarra also highlighted the funding challenges faced by the Commission, saying they were waiting on the President to support NPC and approve the conduct of the census.

 

 

 

He said the agency had demarcated the entire country, stating that only one or two places were left and that this would be done soon.

 

In a paper titled “Implementation Status of the 2023 Population and Housing Census,” the NPC requested the release of the allocated N31bn capital allocation, in the 2023 budget, for preparatory activities.

 

The Commission put the total cost of the Census, after a methodology review, at N546.72 billion.

 

Kwarra also requested the President’s approval for an additional N225.2 billion to cover training and fieldwork allowances, retraining of trainers, and the conduct of a second-class Trial Census.

 

President Tinubu was also asked to approve and convene a stakeholders’ meeting with the organised private sector and foreign partners to galvanise funds for the Census.

 

On the preparations made so far, the NPC Boss informed the President that Nigeria had developed a helpful database for national planning, infrastructure development and revenue generation for the government.

 

 

“NPC, having completed Mapping in March 2022, tested the market with the geospatial data by making it available to researchers at a ‘test price’ where it generated over N5 million through REMITA

 

.Govt ‘ll announce new dates for national census, says NPC

The National Population Commission (NPC) has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu will announce new dates for the national population and housing census that was postponed last April. ⁣

 

The chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Kwarra disclosed this to state house correspondents after his delegation debriefed the president at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Thursday.⁣

 

Tinubu’s meeting with Kwarra comes nine weeks after the census was postponed by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

⁣it could be recalled that former President, Buhari had ordered the commission to continue preparation for the 2023 census, in order to sustain the gains already recorded and provide an operational base for the incoming administration.