New Year: Withdraw tax reform bills – NLC insists

New Year: Withdraw tax reform bills – NLC insists

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has called for the
withdrawal of the Tax Reform Bills forwarded by President Bola Tinubu to the
National Assembly.

 

Recall that the bills had drawn sharp criticisms from some
parts of the country, particularly the north, which saw them as anti-growth in
the region.

 

The NLC also appealed to the government at all levels to
prioritise the welfare and well-being of the citizens in 2025.

 

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in a New Year message to
Nigerians, especially workers, said organised labour would step up its battle
for an upward wage review for workers to mitigate the high costs of living.

 

The message, titled “In 2025, hope is in our collective
resolve,’’ read: “As we step into the year 2025, the Nigeria Labour Congress,
NLC, extends warm New Year greetings to every worker and citizen across our
great nation.

 

‘’The challenges of survival we have faced as a people must
not hold us down. Instead, let us find inner strength to build a collective
resolve to drive Nigeria out of the morass of underdevelopment that has held it
captive for far too long.

 

“No external power will deliver us from the scourge of
economic hardship and stagnation. It is only through our collective effort and
determination that we can propel our nation forward.

 

“We must build inner strength to find this collective
resolve across the length and breadth of our great nation. This is our civic
responsibility—one we must embrace with unwavering determination.

 

“We call on the government at all levels to ensure that
governance translates into real benefits for the people. The welfare of the
citizens remains the primary justification for the existence of any
government,” Ajaero said.

 

He highlighted the key expectations of the people and
workers to include access to food and nutrition, better healthcare, quality
housing, education, transportation and greater security of lives and
properties, including the right to participate in decisions on how they are
ruled.

 

The NLC boss said policies must, therefore, reflect
transparency, honesty, and inclusivity, devoid of chicanery, nepotism, and
strong-arm tactics.

 

He advocated for a system built on the tenets of social
dialogue, allowing critical stakeholders to participate actively in
nation-building, adding that such inclusiveness will foster deeper ownership of
government policies, ensuring stability and sustainability.

 

“It is on this premise that we once again call on the
federal government to withdraw its present tax bills before the National
Assembly so that all key national stakeholders will be part of the process.

 

‘’As we embark on a national dialogue in Ibadan in January,
2025, we want to join hands in co-creating a new national tax law that would
enjoy wider acceptance and fulfill its purpose of propelling national
development which we believe is the main objective of government,” he added.

Source: New Year: Withdraw tax reform bills – NLC insists

 - NigerianEye

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