- Safiu Kehinde
Social Media influencer and tax reforms analyst, Mimi Yakigar, has picked holes in the new tax policies introduced by the Federal Government following her nomination by the Presidential Tax Force.
NPO Reported that Yakigar had last week emerged one of the top 20 content creators nominated by the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee.
The nominees are billed to attend a special training session aimed at improving their understanding of tax laws in order for them to share what was considered a clearer, more balanced, and insightful information with their followers.
They were given December 8 as deadline to accept their nomination ahead of the event.
While expressing delight over the nomination, Yakigar, in a post on her X handle on Monday, however expressed her reservations on some of the introduced tax policies.
She questioned the government’s motive behind the nomination of the content creators before analysing public perception about taxation.
“When I saw my name on that list, I will not lie, I was excited. I was happy and smiled. Not because of anything political but because as a creator who has genuinely put in work, it felt really good that my effort was recognised.
“But if you have noticed how my trend moves, you must have noticed something. I sleep over things. My analysis matures with time. I don’t rush. I allow my brain to breathe.
“I allow my emotions to settle and then I will be able to think critically. So, after the initial excitement, something hits me. I asked myself, why me? No, why us?
“Why did the government choose creators who have built credibility? Not necessarily big account because obviously I don’t fall into that category but those who sweated for their platforms, those who speak boldly to explain tax matter at a time when the system itself has not earned public trust.
“And another question followed. Who likes a taxman? Anywhere in the world, even in countries where things work, nobody likes the taxman.
“In the UK, people complain. In the US, people complain. In Canada, tax season gives people anxiety. At least, I’ve lived those three countries.
“In fact, in places where amenities work flawlessly, citizens still feel the pinch. The tax man is a universal villain. It doesn’t matter the country or continent.
“The moment he appears, people feel something is being taken away from them. And of course, human nature resist anything that reduces already stretched resources.
“So, even in countries where the roads are smooth, the hospitals function, the government is accountable, citizens still complain about taxes. So, imagine Nigeria where people get little returns on their contributions, of course the fear is deeper. The resentment is louder.” She said.
Yakiga thereafter pinpointed flaws in some of the tax policies, particularly on the introduction of surcharge and other taxes on petroleum products which she labelled as heavy layers of taxation on essential product.
“The Nigerian government has a habit of grabbing the heaviest part of other countries tax system without adopting the benefit that makes those taxes bearable.
“Today we are talking about VAT on fuel, a proposed 5% surcharge on defined petroleum products, an existing 7.5% VAT on diesel.
“And now a separate 15% import duty on imported petrol and diesel. These are heavy layers of taxation on one essential product.” She said.
The influencer further accused the government of copying other countries tax systems but failing to emulate their accountability in terms of creation of public infrastructures and laws that hold the government accountable as practiced in the United Kingdom.
“But what the government consistently fails to balance and what is also its responsibility is that in the same countries it copies these tax systems from, there is accountability for public infrastructure.
“In countries like the UK, if a pothole or road defect damages your car, without road warnings or signs, you can actually file a claim against the council and be compensated.
“Even more so where lives are lost, the law always hold authority accountable when they fail in their duty. But in Nigeria, from the start of your journey to the end, the roads themselves are dangerous, yet there is no system to hold anyone responsible.” Yakigar said.
She questioned what the government has done for the benefit of the people with previous road related taxes such as the vehicle license fees, road worthiness fees, and levies embedded on pump prices.
Yakigar identified the government’s main issue as credibility issue which according to her cannot be bought through content creators and social media influencers.
“So, tell me, how do you encourage such people to pay their taxes? Now, before anybody argues that this is a new law and that this money will be used appropriately, ask yourself: is this the first time government is collecting road related taxes? What do you think the road worthiness fees you pay every year is for?
“What about the vehicle license fees? What about the levies already embedded in pump prices? Were they just meant to pay salaries?
“We are forced to certify our cars as road worthy every year while the government refuses to certify the roads as worthy of those same cars and that’s exactly why trust, not tax, becomes the real issue whenever new taxes are introduced.
“The government has enough resources, enough agencies, enough communication machinery to sensitise Nigerians. What they lack is not the capacity. What they lack is the credibility.
“Credibility cannot be borrowed from creators. Credibility cannot be outsourced to influencers. If old taxes produce no visible results, then introducing new taxes is not the solution.” She said.
While harping on the need for the government to fix its public accountability to earn the trust of the people, Yakiga rejected the nomination, stressing that the government is yet to do enough to merit using her voice as extension of their message.
“The solution is fixing your accountability first, show results, earn trust, then the people will simply follow.
“But honestly and most genuinely, I want to thank the system for the recognition. It means my work is being seen. My decision not to accept this is not out of fear of what people will say. No.
“It’s simply because I strongly believe the government has not done enough to merit me using my voice as an extension to their message.
“Until then, new taxes, no matter how well packaged, will remain unworthy. Not because Nigerians hate tax, but because Nigeria has not shown the result that justifies it.” She said.