The Archbishop of the Anglican Communion, Kaduna Province, Most Rev. Timothy Yahaya, has criticised the Federal Government’s tax reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying taxation would remain unacceptable to Nigerians without the provision of basic social amenities.
Speaking in Kaduna as part of his New Year message to Nigerians, the cleric said while taxation is necessary for national development, it must not amount to exploitation of citizens who lack access to essential services.
“I am fully in support of taxation, but I am not in support of exploitation,” Archbishop Yahaya said. “Nigerians will willingly pay taxes when they can see light, water, good hospitals, decent schools for their children, and roads that are completed on time.”
He lamented the slow pace of infrastructure development in the country, noting that projects meant to be completed within months often take decades. According to him, this has eroded public trust in governance and made citizens skeptical about tax policies.
The archbishop stressed that Nigerians need a national reorientation, urging citizens and leaders alike to have a “change of heart” in their attitudes toward leadership, civic responsibility, and national development.
“If you look at the way we drive, how we treat our environment, how our leaders govern, and the state of the economy, you will know that we need a change of heart as a nation,” he said.
Yahaya also expressed concern over the nation’s power challenges, describing repeated national grid collapses as embarrassing, especially when foreign visitors are present.
He said Nigeria has abundant solar energy resources and questioned why reliable electricity remains elusive.
“Power is not magic; power is a reality,” he said. “Why are we running away from what we can do?”
On security, the cleric called for urgent reforms and improved civility among security agencies, noting that their uniforms, equipment, and salaries are funded by taxpayers who are often harassed on the roads.
He also decried poor construction practices, citing the Kaduna–Abuja road where commuters sometimes spend up to eight hours due to lack of alternative routes.
He said such delays waste productive hours and harm the economy, adding that international best practices must be adopted.
Reacting to criticisms against the presence of foreign military support, particularly from the United States, Archbishop Yahaya described such opposition as ignorance, insisting that global security is interconnected.
“No nation is completely independent when it comes to security,” he said. “Security collaboration is normal, and Nigerians should not politicise insecurity because it affects everyone.”
He urged the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency, to educate citizens on the importance of intelligence sharing and international partnerships in combating terrorism and kidnapping.
The Archbishop called for unity, peace, and progress in the country in 2026, stressing that insecurity knows no religion or ethnicity and must be addressed collectively. “We must come together, cage the lion of insecurity, and bury it, so that we can all live,” he said.
