By Okey Muogbo
The Federal Government has re-iterated its determination to reduce to the bearest minimum, difficulties militating against ease of flow of business transactions in Nigeria.
Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Senator George Akume stated this when he performed the inauguration of the National Anti-Muliple Taxation Scheme (NAMTAXS) and National Transit InsuranceScheme (NATIS) at the Sharaton Hotel, Abuja.
The twin projects are the initiative of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) meant to minimize difficulties facing business persons and companies in Nigeria especially in the area of multiple taxation by the three tiers of government.
Akume who enumerated measures taken by the Federal Government to enhance ease of doing business in the country assured that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to supporting free flow of businesses in Nigeria.
Said he, “Ladies and gentlement, you may recall that His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari granted approval since 2017 to permanently eradicate, remove, dismantle and stop all illegal road blocks, illegal tax, fees & levies, robberies, kidnappings and all vices, etc on Nigerian roads in view of the debilitating as well as negative multiplier effects onNigerians and the economy.
“In view of the above, security agencies; Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Security Service, Nigerian Security& Civil Defence Corps and Federal Road Safety Commission have been urged to participate actively and give maximum support to all Local Governments towards the achievement of all the aims and objectives of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) towards sanitizing hitherto hostile business environment as a result of some of the obnoxious policies that inhibit genuine efforts at carrying out business in Nigeria.
“Furthermore, the federal Government has already provided a special short code 7744 through the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) to enable Nigerians who subscribe to the programs reach the Command & Control Centre through the Call Management Centre (CMC) to ensure the escalation and access to support and intervention of the Compliance Monitoring & Enforcement Task Group in the appropriate Local Government Area of the country.
In his address, the National President of ALGON, Hon Alabi Kolade David mentioned some of the benefits of the Scheme to include: engagement of over 24000 Nigerians in direct pensionable joobs nationwide as each of the 774 lgs shall engage 30 personnel per LGA, 20 in each of the 37 states and 120 at the ALGON national headquarters for effective operations of the two projects making 24,080 new jobs that shall be spread all over Nigeria.
“The accredited, certified and authorised vendors shall also engage over 30,000 employees nationawide”, Hon David stated in the address read by the Deputy National President of the Association, Hon Aminu Maifata Muazu who represented him.
