The
Federal Government says it will look into the complaints of multiple taxation
with a view to harmonising them to lessen the burden on ICT operators in the
country.
The
Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, made the promise when he
featured at a Forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He
noted that many local, state and federal government operatives demand taxes
from operators which actually increased their expenditures.
“So,
I agree that there are allegations of multiple taxes.
“And
now, I have challenged the operators to bring all of these taxes forward to let
to us see how we will harmonise them,“ he said.
He,
however, said that taxes were necessary as even in the developed countries like
UK, U.S. governments were run on peoples’ taxes.
Shittu,
however, urged political leaders in the country to see telecoms as a strategic
national asset without which Nigeria could not make progress.
“If
you are a governor and you don’t have access to telecommunications in this
world, how will you reach to the masses, how do you communicate,’’ he wondered.
He
also called on stakeholders in the ICT sector to deepen effort in promoting the
sector to improve nation’s economy.
According
to him, the ministry will sustain its collaboration with the organised private
sector to further provide the opportunity of exploring “the unbelievable
potential of ICT’’.
“I
am also using this platform to call all operators within the ICT sector to come
forward for an interaction with me to look at whatever needs to be done in
order for us toimprove.
“There
are many employment opportunities to be explored if good attention will be
placed in the direction of ICT,’’ he said.
The
minister said that the government deliberately invited the financial community
to come and invest in telecom sector in Nigeria.
“The
invitation is for such financial community to invest their money, invest their
technology and invest their skilled personnel.
“As
a political leader, I always believe that one has multiple duties; to protect
the interest of the masses as well as to protect interest of operators,“ he
said.
NAN
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