By Mohammed Bello Doka
Despite the escalating challenges of hyper-inflation and insecurity plaguing the nation under the Tinubu administration, the Nigerian government has opted to further burden its citizens with additional taxes. In a recent Twitter post by Jafar Jafar, the publisher of Daily Nigerian, the harsh reality of the Nigerian condition is starkly outlined.
Jafar Jafar begins by highlighting the burdensome reality faced by Nigerian citizens, who are left to fend for themselves in providing basic amenities. Education, healthcare, sanitation, and even utilities like electricity and water have become privatized necessities, accessible primarily to those who can afford them. This leaves the majority of the populace at a disadvantage, with access to quality services contingent upon wealth.
The burden of providing for these essentials falls squarely on the shoulders of individual citizens, who are forced to send their children to private schools, seek medical treatment at private hospitals, and establish private sanitation and utility systems in their homes. This privatization of services further exacerbates the socio-economic divide, widening the gap between the wealthy and the impoverished.
Amidst these challenges, the government's decision to impose additional taxes appears tone-deaf and insensitive to the struggles faced by ordinary citizens. Despite the increasing cost of living, exacerbated by hyper-inflation, and the pervasive insecurity that plagues the nation, the government continues to demand more from its citizens.
Jafar Jafar's post draws attention to the words of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who famously remarked, "No nation ever grew more prosperous by taxing its citizens beyond their capacity to pay." This sentiment resonates deeply in the Nigerian context, where excessive taxation threatens to stifle economic growth and perpetuate the cycle of poverty for the most vulnerable segments of society.
As Nigerians grapple with the harsh realities of daily life, the call for a more equitable and compassionate approach to governance grows louder. In the face of mounting challenges, it is imperative for the government to prioritize the well-being of its citizens and enact policies that alleviate, rather than exacerbate, their burdens.
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