Nigeria, revenue poverty and taxation atrophy

Sir: When our forefathers came up with the wise saying that ‘the earnest wish of potters is for earth to be clay’, it was not only worthy of commendation but also no mean achievement. The beauty of the adage is that, in some 1000 years to come, it will still be relevant.

So, instead of concentrating on having more wealth, the wisdom in it is learning how to be frugal and maximally productive with the little that’s available.

Simple Economics: Economic activities breed taxation while taxation without representation is problematic. Generally, the mission of governments is revenue generation which practically translates to poverty on the people’s part.

Impliedly, there’s poverty of revenue but taxation schemes are a-plenty. Why? While taxation is multiplying itself, revenue assurances are shrinking. So, it is more or less a case of revenue nowhere and it is a problem for the state because the state is supposed to be a basket of revenue whereas it is atrophying.

Objective observers will agree with yours sincerely that most governments want more revenues, whereas governance-seeking and people-loving governments seek accountability. People have come to governments and said to themselves: ‘We are here to take our own portion of the national cake.’ Well, it is to show that Nigeria is in trouble and, until Nigerians come to terms with the fact that government exists only for itself, and that the largesse of the government will always go to certain people whether they (say that they) are in government or not, Nigeria won’t move forward. It is a very terrible statement but that’s the truth.

High crime rate! Beggars everywhere! Slave-owners thriving! We are a rich country with poor people: what a paradox? The town is tough! The people are hungry and need help! But we can’t continue this way. Something must give. We must arrest the situation before it is too late.

Come to think of it, part of the reasons adduced by the Bola Tinubu-led administration for the removal of fuel subsidy was that there would be more money for the states to carry out the business of governance.

So, one wonders what has become of governance in a state like Osun where Governor Ademola Adeleke has, in less than a year in office, started lamenting “cash crunch”, to the extent of suspending foreign trips for its top officials. If we may ask, what’s the total allocation to Osun from November 27, 2022 to date and how much did each beneficiary of the state government-funded foreign trips collect as estacode and associated allowances? Of course, the people deserve to know when the rain started beating them.