The National
Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has thrown its weight behind the two
chambers of National Assembly for quick passage of Communication Service Tax
(CST) bill currently before the legislature.
The association also expressed its
unalloyed support for the passage of the proposed Unemployed Youth, Elderly and
Indigent Sustainability Allowances Trust Fund bill also pending before the
federal lawmakers.
In a communiqué issued at a press conference on Wednesday,
the National President of the union, Comrade Tijani Shehu said that the union
decided to declare its total support for the ongoing debate on the two bills,
because of its belief in their provisions to alleviate the sufferings and agony
of the youths and the elderly people in the society.
Shehu explained that the
union came up with the decision after in-depth study, analysis, series of
meetings, nationwide sensitization on the twin bills, which have passed second
reading in the National Assembly.
The bills were introduced by one Mr. Raymond
Wodi, entitled: A Bill for an Act for the establishment of Communication
Service Tax and for matters Connected therewith, and a bill for an Act to
provide for the establishment of the unemployed Youth, Elderly and Indigent
Citizens Sustainability Allowances Trust Fund and for matters Connected
Therewith.
The Communication Service Tax Bill (SB. 164) of 2015 is a draft
piece of legislation before the Nigerian Senate that seeks to levy a charge of
nine percent for the use of communication services that include: Voice calls;
SMS; MMS; Data usage both from Telecommunications Service Providers and
Internet Service Providers; Pay per View TV Stations among others.
According to
the bill, 70 per cent of the tax will be paid into the federation account,
while 30 per cent of it will be paid into the unemployed youth, elderly and
indigent sustainability allowances trust fund.
The NANS President, said that
the union would do all within its powers to support the National Assembly to
ensure that the two bills were accorded due attention and given speedy passage
into law.
He argued that Nigeria has neglected the CST over the 15 years of
telecom revolution, with unquantifiable loss of revenue, despite being the
second largest owner of mobile phones in the world after China.
According to
him, what Nigeria is currently realising from both oil and tax is far below
what South Africa is getting from tax alone, adding that many companies
operating in Nigeria evade tax due to the poor tax collection system in the
country. He further accused the telecommunication operators in the country of
stealing trillions of naira due to the absence of statutory method of confirming
the actual amount due to the government from their profits.
When passed, he said the bill would make adequate provisions for government to create job opportunities and other life lines for the youth and elderly as obtained in other climes. He therefore urged Nigerians to ignore all those fighting against the bill for selfish interest and to further deny the youth and other citizens of their legitimate rights.
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