Oyintiloye calls for increased public enlightenment on new tax reform law
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called for massive and sustained public sensitisation on the new tax reform law, saying many Nigerians still lack adequate understanding of its provisions and objectives.
Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, made this known while speaking with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo. He noted that the lack of proper understanding of the new tax law has resulted in widespread misconceptions, misrepresentation and suspicion about the government’s intentions.
According to him, misinformation surrounding the law has left many Nigerians, including educated citizens, confused about what, when and how their earnings will be taxed, adding that alleged discrepancies between the version of the bill passed by the National Assembly and that published in the official gazette have further deepened the confusion.
The APC chieftain maintained that the government’s intentions, particularly towards low-income earners, remain good, noting that widespread misinformation and confusion surrounding the implementation are casting a shadow on the real objectives of the law.
“Many Nigerians are still ignorant of the new tax law. Social media is filled with different explanations of the law, leading to widespread confusion among the people. The misinformation about the tax law is spreading faster than the true intentions of the law and its benefits. Till this moment, many Nigerians, both literate and illiterate, do not actually know what to believe about the tax law,” he said.
Oyintiloye attributed the situation to slow-paced sensitisation and limited public engagement on the tax law ahead of its implementation.
He therefore called on the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Federal Ministry of Information and other concerned agencies to step up awareness campaigns on the tax reform law to enable Nigerians to understand the government’s intentions, especially towards low-income earners, and to curb the spread of misinformation.
The APC chieftain also noted that various economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu have started yielding positive results, emphasising that the gains of these reforms should be properly packaged and showcased to Nigerians by the relevant agencies.
