Business
Govt’s Excise Duty Puts 950,000 Manufacturing, Allied industries jobs at Risk of Layoffs
The increases in excise duty on sweetend beverages, beers, tobacco and single use plastics by the Federal Government will severely affect 950,000 direct and indirect employees in the manufacturing sector’s value chain.
Based on this, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on the Federal Government to reverse the 2023 Fiscal Policy Measures, and retain the 2022 -2024 excise duty roadmap as approved in the 2022 FPM.
This is to foster stability in the affected sectors and their value chain.
Otunba Francis Meshioye, President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), said that the government had better suspend the policy in the interest of the national economy.
At a press conference in Lagos, the previous day, the MAN President noted that companies in the affected industries support other businesses in their value chain, cutting across agriculture, logistics, bottling, labelling and packaging businesses, as well as factory and office staff, distribution, wholesale and retail businesses, catering for over 950,000 direct and indirect employees.
” For instance, over 37,000 sorghum farmers rely on the brewing sector for their livelihood. Unemployment rate which stands at 41 percent , puts about 489,000 existing jobs at risk and which will further widen the unemployment gap,” he said .
He explained that a crash in sale volumes and consequent cuts in production will severely impact
these businesses in the value chain, which will have a multiplier effect on the national economy.
” For instance, supplier transactions in the sector declined by over N260 billion by the end of 2022, when compared to 2021,” he said.
He said that retaining the 2023 FPM will have a negative signalling effect on current and prospective investors.
“A continuing decline in sale volumes will necessitate production cuts and a re-evaluation of investments in the sector. Specifically, if sales proceeds can no longer sustain
business overheads and operating expenses, businesses will be forced to scale
down their operations which would result in factory closures, job losses, a decline in exports and much more.
It is instructive to note that the Excise increase is a direct attack on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI),” he said.
Commenting on the introduction of the Single Use Plastics tax, he said that it is necessary for the authority to reverse the tax on Single Use Plastics and engage with relevant stakeholders
to facilitate ongoing initiatives, which have a better prospect of achieving the desired environmental objectives.
“A good example of this is the Food & Beverage Recycling Alliance, approved by the federal government,” he said.
Photo: Ambassador Idaere Gogo Ogan
The Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA) has unveiled plans to attract up to five billion dollars structured investments to the oil-producing region in five years.
The Chairman of NDCCITMA, Ambassador Idaere Gogo Ogan, made the disclosure at a pre-summit conference ahead of the Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He said that the initiative would catalyse no fewer than 500,000 direct and indirect jobs as well as spur investments and create wealth.
He said the summit with the theme, “Driving Investment, Innovation, and Industrial Growth in the Niger Delta”, slated for Port Harcourt, would deliberate on investment mobilisation, enterprise growth, industrial expansion, and regional coordination.
Business
Dangote: Middle East crisis might take us back to ‘Work from home’ COVID era
In some countries today, what they’ve done is ask everybody to work from home because they cannot afford it.“I think in Indonesia, they only go to work four days a week.
The President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has expressed concerns about the ongoing Middle East crisis taking many countries back to the COVID19 era’s work from home.
Dangote stated this on Monday, after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his residence in Lagos.
While expressing concern about the economic impact of oil price uncertainty, Africa’s Richest man noted that Nigeria and other African countries might be forced to start working from home, just like the COVID19 era.
Dangote called for prayers and international intervention to end the conflict which has affected the price of fuel and other energy sources in the country.
He said, “In some countries today, what they’ve done is ask everybody to work from home because they cannot afford it.“I think in Indonesia, they only go to work four days a week. And they will look at the situation. If it doesn’t improve, they will ask everybody not to go to work anymore. We will do like that time of COVID, where people will now go and work from home,” Dangote said.
It’s not only energy. Some people will try to take a chance and say, ‘Ah, this is an opportunity. So, let me make money. So, if this thing doesn’t de-escalate, it is going to keep going up and governments cannot really now go and add salaries also. So, people will really feel the pinch,” he said.
Dangote explained that the crisis would hit hardest at ordinary Africans operating small businesses, “People who are barbers, people who are doing bread, people who have industries who have to pay their own generator, I mean, you can see what is happening,” he said.
Business
Binance seeks out-of-court settlement in Nigeria tax evasion case
Following submissions from both parties, Justice Nwite adjourned the case until May 12 for a report on settlement talks.
Binance Holdings Limited on Tuesday said it is exploring a resolution of the tax evasion charges filed against it by the Federal Government, signalling a pause in the trial.
Sunday Agaji, the company’s counsel disclosed this before Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Moses Ideho, counsel to the government a deputy director in the legal department of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (now Nigeria Revenue Service), confirmed the development.
Although the matter was slated for continuation of trial, Ideho told the court he had been informed earlier by the defence that the company had approached the tax authority to discuss an out-of-court settlement.
Agaji said discussions were ongoing.
“My lord, parties are exploring settlement. That is essentially where we are,” he said.
Following submissions from both parties, Justice Nwite adjourned the case until May 12 for a report on settlement talks.
( Business Day)
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