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Kano:The Tax And The Tormenting Tight Spot Of The Trike Users

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By Bala Ibrahim.

Kano, Nigeria’s oldest commercial centre and home to nearly five million people is heading for a total commercial mobility paralysis, as the strike of the tricycle operators, otherwise called “Adaidaita-Sahu” enters its third day today. The trike operators began a seven-day warning strike on Monday, against the annual registration number imposed on them by the state government and the unending increment on taxes, without what they called, ‘any corresponding visible value added’.

Undoubtedly the trike strike had brought untold hardship to everyone in and around the city, because many passengers, particularly traders that are mostly dependent on the tricycles, are subjected to the terrible torture of long trekking on foot with their wares.

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Already Kano had for long been without taxi operators. Even the buses have since been missing. The only commercial vehicles now in Kano are the bolt mobility transport that offer vehicle for hire, and they too come with their own challenge of the use of apps, that are expected to be downloaded by a user on his or her mobile device.

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For a city that is relatively backward in western education, even if advanced in Islamic education, relying on the use of devises and information technology to mount on a ride for commercial movement from point A to B, can be as baffling as it is puzzling.

But what precisely is the cause of the problem?

The problem on the surface, as put forward by the Managing Director of the Kano State Traffic Agency, Baffa Babba-Dan’agundi is that, the operators of the tricycles embarked on the strike because of the introduction of the operational permit by the government. Baffa said even though the government had reduced the cost from N100,000 to N8,000, to enable them pay, some are still hesitant, and the law says they must pay.

“They don’t want to respect the law, they think the security they are getting is for nothing. I don’t have any authority to say they must resume work. However, they do not have any authority to tell me not to ask for their particulars and not to arrest them and take appropriate action against them,”-Baffa.

So the problem on the surface is that of failure to give revenue to the government, and in law, tax evasion is an illegal activity in which a person or entity deliberately avoids paying a true tax liability. Those caught evading taxes are generally subject to criminal charges and substantial penalties. In Nigeria today, anyone who wilfully fail to pay taxes is liable to prosecution by the Federal Inland Revenue Services or their state equivalent. To me, that is a serious offense that deserves serious sanctions, LEGALLY.

But beneath the surface, there is a more germane problem that has to do with the tax collection policy and the use to which the public perceives its usage. The tricycle operators complain of paying a minimum of one hundred naira daily to the government and when you multiply that by their number, the amount accruing quarterly or yearly is so colossal, and the suspicion is that in banking the money, the government is not engaging those principles that have to do with the distinction between what’s right or wrong. The allegation is that the money gets stuffed or pocketed, without recourse to the consequences of the effect of good or bad behaviour. To me, this is a serious offense that deserves serious sanctions, MORALLY.

Late Professor Ali Mazrui once talked about the morals of stealing from a thief. When people loose confidence in leaders, or see their leaders as looters, at every given opportunity they would cheat or undercut the system, because to them, they are cheating the leaders, or better put, the looters. They feel it is a patriotic duty to steal from a thief, or cheat a cheat. Any one who behaves dishonestly in order to gain an advantage is a cheat, and it is suspected that in Kano, under Governor Ganduje, such behaviour is commonplace.

In an attempt to resolve the problem, the Speaker, Kano state House of Assembly, Engr. Hamisu Chidari, yesterday waded into the matter, by calling on the trike operators to suspend the strike action. On his side, the speaker said the Assembly will mediate by reaching out to the leadership of the Kano Road Traffic Agency, KAROTA, and the tricycle operators for a round table meeting to resolve the matter peacefully.

This is indeed a good move that is legitimately legal. But the move would be better if accompanied by a legitimately moral proviso, that the House should also rise to the occasion, by discharging their constitutional responsibility of checkmating the public perception of the wrong flow of cash amongst high profile officers, the cash of which are suspected to be the proceeds of crime.

Doing that would get everyone out of the tormenting tight spot, including the head of the government, take off the tax trauma out of the minds of the trike operators, and relieve the governor of the moral burden of engaging spinners to explain the unexplainable.

Opinion

EXCLUSIVE: How FG Director Abandon Posting, Release Funds Against Civil Service Rules

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A Director of Accounts in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity has continued to stay in the Ministry despite approval of his Posting to the Ministry of Defence.

POLITICS DIGEST exclusively gathered that the said Treasury Officer who doubles as Director of  Accounts has continued to approve the release of funds despite his posting to another Ministry which is a breach of the civil service rules under the watch of the Permanent Secretary who is aware of what the civil service rules.

In a letter dated 12th November, the Accountant General of the Federation Oluwatosoyin Mudsin approved the Posting of the said Treasury officers with immediate effect but the officer in question Bala Saleh has continued to serve in the Ministry of Labour instead of Defence where he was posted to with immediate effect.

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A staff of the Ministry who pleaded for anonymity told this paper that he abandoned his new posting because of the support of a retired permanent secretary while both the Minister and that of State were not aware of the said letter which is totally against the civil service rules.

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However, some staff of the Ministry have confided to this paper their readiness to petition the Director in question to the ICPC.

When contacted over the matter, the spokesperson of the Ministry declined to comment and promised to call our reporter back after his findings on the matter.

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Opinion

Open Letter To His Excellency The Executive Governor Of Kano State:Need For A Balanced Composition Of Kano State Executive Council

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Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state

 

Open Letter To His Excellency The Executive Governor Of Kano State:Need For A Balanced Composition Of Kano State Executive Council

Ismail Abdu Garba

Your Excellency sir, I want to use this opportunity to call your kind attention regarding the trend followed by your predecessors to form a composition of the state executive council that is not an all-inclusive which fails to address the need for every local government to be well represented in line with the principle of federal character establishment. The negligence or oversight of this administrative arrangement has become a typical set back that led to marginalization of Warawa L.G.A since its establishment by law in 1991, undermining not only its human capacity development but also the general welfare of its indigenes as evident in the few development projects so far executed by the state.
Sir, none of your predecessors on record has ever given us fair representation or equal opportunity through appointment to serve as a member of the state executive council either as Commissioner or Special Adviser since the establishment of Warawa Local Government. Adopting a similar trend by your administration Your Excellency is a great set back to your performance indicators for good governance towards fulfilling your campaign promises.
Among all of the twenty-four (24) Commissioners and about thirty-two (32) Special Advisers whom you appointed, and were cleared before the State Assembly, none is an indigene of Warawa L.G.A. Not only that Your Excellency Sir, so far all of your political appointment for the various position of heads of respective Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) ranging from about (7) Director General DGs, ( 44) Managing Directors MDs and Deputies, Executive Directors EDs, (5) Executive Secretary ES, and even Project Coordinators none is an indigene of Warawa L.G.A.

Your Excellency Sir only if you imagine having a similar composition of Federal Executive Council members at the Federal level without Kano State having any ministerial position designated (not even minister of state) while another state gets two or more, then it appears how disheartening is this recurring marginalization to the extent that a ward from another L.G.A will end up having two or more appointees and even an additional appointment as head of some MDAs while Warawa as a constitutionally recognized L.G.A end up with none.

Ismail Madari

Ismail Madari

With the exception of state constituency allocation and the ongoing 5 km entrance road projects, no presence of road developmental projects sponsored by the state as obtainable in other L.G.A that are well represented in the Council and beyond. Warawa L.G.A is autonomous like every other Local Government Area. Both the constitution and electoral act made it mandatory no single election into the office of the executive governor of Kano state will be declared conclusive without the votes of this administratively neglected local government area.
For this reason and beyond, in the principle of justice, fairness and equity we call upon you to kindly address the issue by giving us fair and equal opportunity to develop this resourceful Local Government Area. Our interest is to be part of the history to be written in gold by this administration, as we are part of the struggle that brought it on board.
Thank You.

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Yours Sincerely,

Engr. Ismail Abdu Garba
Lecturer / Research scholar
Member, Kwankwasiyya Scholars Assembly KSA
Chairman, Warawa Education Election Campaign Committee (2019&2023)
Email – madaarie@gmail.com

Phone Number:08032868665

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Opinion

Kano APC Youth Coalition, Nasir Ja’o’ji and Party Survival

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By Abba Anwar

At cursory look of the title of this piece, what readily comes to mind, is the existing relationship between Kano APC Youth Coalition and Nasir Bala Ja’o’ji, in APC realignment process or procedure. This really captures the picture clearly from the surface. But there is more to it.

Kano APC Youth Coalition came into being more as a one-man-show, probably self-styled and crafty moved. But subsequent engagements of the Coalition, proves otherwise. Some people thought, the Coalition came handy canvassing for primary support for some quasi – politicians, unproductive as they appear, who always hide behind the scene and make a cover under good image of the party leadership at all levels.

Many people, including me, thought this Coalition under Adamu Unguwar Gini, would operate in desperation, under the guise of recuperating party youth into one basket for misleading purpose. As some elders, would-be-elders and self – acclaimed elders operate from clandestine position.

For sure the Coalition, prepared before its debut. Party elders, leaders and other stakeholders were contacted for direction and guide. This, I was not told, but I observed. I understand this by looking at its growing process. I equally understood that, the leadership of the Coalition was one time tilted towards particular side of the prism. But experience and good intention, in my view, necessitated for spreading the leadership into all sections of the state.

It is this strategy, among others, that gave individuals like Hon Nasir Bala Ja’o’ji, to see reason in aiding the movement. Though he is the Zonal Leader of the movement, from Kano Central. But his contribution towards having effective and efficient implementation of the core central objectives of the group, that is making the party stronger and domineering at all levels, gives him the courage to be one of the principal stakeholders.

The recently announced donation of Eighty Eight Million Naira (N88m) to the Coalition for the 44 local governments tour and empowerment of 100 people from each local government, says a lot in his enduring commitment to the expansion and making the party strong enough to compete comfortably come 2027, at both state and national elections.

The proposed local governments tour and empowerment programme scheduled for time to come, is an important pointer to the fact that, this Coalition has very strong and fearless individuals that are ready to sacrifice their time, energy and resources towards political alignment and realignment within the party structure.

People like Musaddique Wada Waziri, Malam Abdussalam Ishaq (Kumbotso), Umar Maiwayo Rimingado, my younger brother Inyass Habibu, Ibrahim Danyaro, Jijitar, Abubakar Indabawa, former Vice Chairman, Warawa, Dini Manchester Kankarofi, Abubakar Aminu, Hon Barwa, Sani Gilashi, Danfillo, Idris Zango, among many others, are playing very critical role in strengthening the grip of the party across the state and the nation at large.

One interesting thing about this combination is, here are important actors, who, for strategic reason, come from all “sides” of the party stalwarts. Party stalwarts because they are the shining stars of the party in the state.

Stars like Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, former Deputy Governor and Gubernatorial Candidate for 2023 election, HE Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, former Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs and Deputy Gubernatorial Candidate for 2023 election, HE Murtala Sule Garo, Hon Abubakar Kabir Bichi, among others.

But all the Stars above lineup behind our Flagship, the National Chairman of the Party, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, CON.

After critical review of the intention of the Coalition, Nasir Ja’o’ji comes to believe that, this Coalition means well for the party. And should therefore be facelifted, encouraged, guided and supported. After believing that, the Unguwar Gini led group, “… belongs to everybody and does not belong to anybody…”, Ja’o’ji made it compulsory to always give a helping hand to the group. More importantly, since the Coalition means genuine support for the party at all levels.

Let me still insist that, if Ja’o’ji a political appointee under President Tinubu, as a member Governing Council, of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Potiskum, Yobe State, can do this, contributing N88m, I’m sure other political appointees under the same administration can also replicate.

Because supporting Coalition in the same pace and manner, equals to supporting the party, the National Chairman, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the same time. In my view therefore, Ja’o’ji apart from being a pacesetter among all political appointees from Kano, he is genuinely a firm believer of APC programmes and policies.

My appeal is for the National Chairman of the party, Baba Ganduje, and the Tinubu led administration, to kindly see reason for continued support for the Coalition and similar ones across all the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

As Unguwar Gini model shows in Kano, Coalition of this nature is not taking away any responsibility of party leadership. We can see how harmonious is the relationship between APC Youth Coalition and state leadership of the party, under Prince Abdullahi Abbas. Another pillar of great substance.

Neutrality of this Coalition, in my own understanding, is clearly manifested in how our shining stars give helping hands to the movement. They are eager to give resources and moral support. It is indeed the neutral posture that gives Ja’o’ji the strength to be of that magnitude.

Anwar, was Chief Press Secretary to the former Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and can be reached at fatimanbaba1@gmail.com

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