What went down on Wednesday
A look at Buhari's interview with Channels TV; Taxes on beverages.
Issue #22
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Today we’ll be looking at:
Reactions to the President's interview
VAT on carbonated drinks
Reactions Trails Buhari's New Year Interviews
Reactions have continued to trail president Mohamadu Buhari’s first exclusive interview since his re-elected in 2019.
The interview was conducted by Channels Television on Wednesday 5th January, where the president answered questions on issues bothering on insecurity, secessionist agitations, infrastructural development, unemployment, 2023 election, and many others.
President Buhari in the interview insisted that the restoration of grazing routes is the only solution to the problem of farmers/herders crisis. On State Policing, he said it is not an option for curtailing the insecurity plundering the nation.
“State police is not an option. Find out the relationship between local governments and the governors. Are the third tier of government getting what they are supposed to get constitutionally,” he said.
The Reactions
Among prominent Nigerians who reacted to the interview is the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu,during an interview with Channels Television said President Muhammadu Buhari has run out of ideas on how to move the country forward. He went on that the president has reaffirmed the opposition’s continued insistence that the current administration is short of ideas to move the country forward.
“As has been said by many before now, to expect anything new from our President would be a misplaced and unfortunate expectation.
“From the economy to insecurity, killing of innocent farmers by terrorists (which some erroneously term farmer/herder clashes) and other sundry issues, President Buhari honoured his calling as a president who has nothing new to offer,” Mr Ayu said in a statement released by his media office after the interview.
On state police, the PDP national chairman argued that a state-controlled security system will fill the holes which the federal police cannot adequately provide which has aided the growth of insecurity in the country.
Meanwhile, on Twitter…
Nigerians took to the micro blogging site, to register their displeasure with the president’s outing in the interview:
Nigeria is broke, so it’s taxing carbonated drinks
On Wednesday 5th of January, the Nigerian government announced that it’s introducing an excise duty of N10 per litre on all non-alcoholic carbonated and sweetened beverages in the country.
Excise duty is a form of tax imposed on the production, licensing and sale of goods. The government said this tax was to discourage excessive consumption of sugar in beverages which contributes to a number of health conditions including diabetes and obesity. More so, the government said “excise duties and revenues for health-related and other critical expenditures… is in line with the 2022 budget priorities.”
The Truth
Nigeria is “broke” and is currently exploring ways to shore up its revenue pool. One of the tropes of this government is to widen the tax net. When you check how much the country spends to service debts, you will not be surprised at this move. For instance, in 2021, the country spent a total of N1.8 trillion on debt servicing in the first five months of the year, representing about 98% of the total revenue generated in the same period.
Leaving the country with less money to spend on capital and recurrent expenditures. Another effect is that it makes the country susceptible to collecting more loans to fund capital projects in the future.
Monday Motivation
From now on, then, resolve to live as a grown-up who is making progress, and make whatever you think best a law that you never set aside. And whenever you encounter anything that is difficult or pleasurable, or highly or lowly regarded, remember that the contest is now: you are at the Olympic Games, you cannot wait any longer, and that your progress is wrecked or preserved by a single day and a single event.
~Epictetus
WORTH READING 📚
Kola Tubosun on Google, Translations, African Literature and the English Expression || Isele Magazine.
What's the difference between accelerators, incubators and venture builders||The Flip.
WORTH WATCHING 📽️
Neo Black Movement Reacts to BBC Documentary on Cultism in Nigeria || TVC News Nigeria.
Chief Daddy 2: Going for Broke. Official Movie Review || Adenike O. Adebayo.
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Today’s stories were written by Acquah Nana Yeboah and Blessed Frank.
Edited by Sybil Okubo Fekurumoh.