Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Group Rejects Tinubu’s Tax Reform, Describes It as IMF–World Bank Agenda to Deepen Poverty in Nigeria
The Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organization (GAFAMORG) has strongly rejected the proposed tax reform law being advanced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, describing it as an International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank–inspired agenda aimed at deepening poverty and further exploiting Nigerians. The group warned that the country’s worsening economic crisis is the result of deliberate policy choices by a corrupt ruling elite aligned with failed foreign economic orthodoxies.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Babatunde Agunbiade, and Public Relations Officer, Adeoye Ade-Adewumi, GAFAMORG argued that Nigeria’s challenges are not caused by insufficient taxation but by criminal mismanagement, massive corruption, nepotism, and elite capture of state resources. The organisation said the proposed tax law would impose additional burdens on already over-taxed workers, small traders, and struggling households, while leaving the wealthy and powerful untouched.
The group accused the Tinubu administration of ignoring large-scale tax evasion by elites, excessive tax waivers for multinational corporations, and widespread looting through inflated contracts and opaque concessions. It also criticised the operation of Free Trade Zones, describing them as tax havens for the rich where corporations enjoy sweeping exemptions and weak oversight, while ordinary Nigerians face aggressive and sometimes extortionate tax enforcement.
GAFAMORG further described Nigeria’s tax administration system as broken, citing overlapping taxes, harassment by revenue agents, lack of transparency, and weak accountability. It warned that introducing new taxes without fixing these structural problems amounts to “economic violence against the poor.”
Reflecting on Nigeria’s past experiences with IMF- and World Bank-backed reforms such as Structural Adjustment, privatisation, and subsidy removal, the organisation said these policies have consistently shrunk the middle class, expanded poverty, enriched a tiny elite, and weakened the country’s productive capacity.
Invoking the legacy of late human rights lawyer Chief Gani Fawehinmi, GAFAMORG called on Nigerians to completely reject the proposed tax law, mobilise civic, legal, media, and popular resistance, and demand its immediate withdrawal. The group insisted that Nigeria does not need IMF-approved hardship but justice, accountability, equity, and people-centred governance.
The Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organization (GAFAMORG) has strongly rejected the proposed tax reform law being advanced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, describing it as an International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank–inspired agenda aimed at deepening poverty and further exploiting Nigerians. The group warned that the country’s worsening economic crisis is the result of deliberate policy choices by a corrupt ruling elite aligned with failed foreign economic orthodoxies.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Babatunde Agunbiade, and Public Relations Officer, Adeoye Ade-Adewumi, GAFAMORG argued that Nigeria’s challenges are not caused by insufficient taxation but by criminal mismanagement, massive corruption, nepotism, and elite capture of state resources. The organisation said the proposed tax law would impose additional burdens on already over-taxed workers, small traders, and struggling households, while leaving the wealthy and powerful untouched.
The group accused the Tinubu administration of ignoring large-scale tax evasion by elites, excessive tax waivers for multinational corporations, and widespread looting through inflated contracts and opaque concessions. It also criticised the operation of Free Trade Zones, describing them as tax havens for the rich where corporations enjoy sweeping exemptions and weak oversight, while ordinary Nigerians face aggressive and sometimes extortionate tax enforcement.
GAFAMORG further described Nigeria’s tax administration system as broken, citing overlapping taxes, harassment by revenue agents, lack of transparency, and weak accountability. It warned that introducing new taxes without fixing these structural problems amounts to “economic violence against the poor.”
Reflecting on Nigeria’s past experiences with IMF- and World Bank-backed reforms such as Structural Adjustment, privatisation, and subsidy removal, the organisation said these policies have consistently shrunk the middle class, expanded poverty, enriched a tiny elite, and weakened the country’s productive capacity.
Invoking the legacy of late human rights lawyer Chief Gani Fawehinmi, GAFAMORG called on Nigerians to completely reject the proposed tax law, mobilise civic, legal, media, and popular resistance, and demand its immediate withdrawal. The group insisted that Nigeria does not need IMF-approved hardship but justice, accountability, equity, and people-centred governance.
Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Group Rejects Tinubu’s Tax Reform, Describes It as IMF–World Bank Agenda to Deepen Poverty in Nigeria
The Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organization (GAFAMORG) has strongly rejected the proposed tax reform law being advanced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, describing it as an International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank–inspired agenda aimed at deepening poverty and further exploiting Nigerians. The group warned that the country’s worsening economic crisis is the result of deliberate policy choices by a corrupt ruling elite aligned with failed foreign economic orthodoxies.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Babatunde Agunbiade, and Public Relations Officer, Adeoye Ade-Adewumi, GAFAMORG argued that Nigeria’s challenges are not caused by insufficient taxation but by criminal mismanagement, massive corruption, nepotism, and elite capture of state resources. The organisation said the proposed tax law would impose additional burdens on already over-taxed workers, small traders, and struggling households, while leaving the wealthy and powerful untouched.
The group accused the Tinubu administration of ignoring large-scale tax evasion by elites, excessive tax waivers for multinational corporations, and widespread looting through inflated contracts and opaque concessions. It also criticised the operation of Free Trade Zones, describing them as tax havens for the rich where corporations enjoy sweeping exemptions and weak oversight, while ordinary Nigerians face aggressive and sometimes extortionate tax enforcement.
GAFAMORG further described Nigeria’s tax administration system as broken, citing overlapping taxes, harassment by revenue agents, lack of transparency, and weak accountability. It warned that introducing new taxes without fixing these structural problems amounts to “economic violence against the poor.”
Reflecting on Nigeria’s past experiences with IMF- and World Bank-backed reforms such as Structural Adjustment, privatisation, and subsidy removal, the organisation said these policies have consistently shrunk the middle class, expanded poverty, enriched a tiny elite, and weakened the country’s productive capacity.
Invoking the legacy of late human rights lawyer Chief Gani Fawehinmi, GAFAMORG called on Nigerians to completely reject the proposed tax law, mobilise civic, legal, media, and popular resistance, and demand its immediate withdrawal. The group insisted that Nigeria does not need IMF-approved hardship but justice, accountability, equity, and people-centred governance.
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