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By Chinenye Anuforo
The President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, has warned the Federal Government to rescind its planned two percent tax on all telephone calls, or risk litigation from civil society groups. .
Ogunbanjo who gave the warning during a telephone interview with Daily Sun said government was very insensitive to have come up with such proposal at a time Nigerians are struggling to survive, adding that telecoms subscribers would resist the new tax regime, because of its grave implications on subscribers and the telecom sector.
The two per cent tax, which is the equivalent of a minimum of one kobo per second for phone calls, is part of the sources of funds required to finance free healthcare for the vulnerable group in Nigeria, according to the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2021, signed by President Muhammadu Buhari penultimate week.
According to him, the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2021 was supposed to pass through the first and second reading on the floor of the National Assembly, before it could be sent to President Muhammadu Buhari for signing, “but we were surprised to know that President Buhari signed the bill without a public hearing and public input.
