…seeks N100,000 food voucher monthly for poor, vulnerable
The chairman Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim on Tuesday, accused rich people in Nigeria of not paying adequate taxes to government.
Ibrahim, who represents Ondo South Senatorial District, spoke while contributing to a debate on the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) during plenary.
He said despite of generating employment, they need to pay taxes on their luxurious assets.
Speaking to reporters after plenary, Ibrahim said: “They need to pay more. It is comfortable for them to pay. I know they say they generate employment but they need to pay more on their luxury assets.
“This is the area we should develop. I am looking at laws that will actually police transactional cost.
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“Government provides incentives for your business. What we are looking at is profit from your investment.
The GDP to tax ratio is 18%. About 72% left out of the tax net. We should be worried that 72% are not in the tax net.
“I am not saying we should go and tax the poor population but the rich needs to do more in this difficult times.”
He called on the federal and state governments to distribute food vouchers of N100,000.00 each to 30 million poor Nigerians monthly in view of the rising cost of goods and services and associated hardship in the country.
He said the recommendation of implementation would ease pressure on the Naira since the vouchers are made of paper.