CDWR Holds Symposium on Tax Reform Bill – Participants Call for Mass Struggle to Defeat Bill

At least 53 trade union and civil society activists gathered on Tuesday, March 11, at the International Press Centre (IPC), Ogba, Lagos for a public symposium organized by the Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR) on the Tax Reform Bill currently before the National Assembly.

The Lagos State Councils of both the NLC and TUC were represented in addition to workers and activists from about ten industrial unions. Specifically, ASUU which has vehemently rejected the bill, especially the plan to scrap the TETFUND, was represented.

The lead speaker was Lanre Akinola, a chartered accountant and member of NEC, Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM). Other speakers were Dr Dele Ashiru, National Convener of ASUU Committee on Students and Civil Society Organisations; Bisi Idowu’ Vice Chair Lagos State NLC and Aladetan Abiodun, Lagos State Secretary, TUC. Solidarity messages were given by Prof Adebayo and Dr Gbenga Adeleye, ASUU Chairs of the University of Lagos and Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta respectively, as well as Abiodun Aremu, Secretary of Joint Action Front (JAF). The meeting was chaired by Rufus Olusesan, National Chair of the CDWR and National President, PERESSA, an affiliate union of the TUC.

Speakers and contributors agreed that the tax reform as a whole cannot benefit workers and the poor masses. For instance, VAT increase and the plan to scrap TETFUND were highlighted as some of the features of the monumental attacks on the working people. Scrapping of TETFUND which is currently used largely for the provision of infrastructure and facilities at public tertiary institutions would automatically necessitate further increase in the already outrageously high school fees beyond the capacity of children from the working class families.

The participants are not happy that the two trade union centres, NLC and TUC, have not led a serious fight and campaign against the reform which is a continuation of the anti-poor neo-liberal capitalist attacks of the Tinubu government. Tinubu’s policies have had devastating effects on the living standards of the vast majority. The participants called on trade unions and civil society organizations to organize and mobilise for mass struggle to defeat the bill before it becomes a law. It was also emphasized that the working people and the poor should not allow themselves to be divided along ethnic and regional lines over the tax issue by the capitalist ruling elite who are united in the unflinching support for every anti-poor policy of the Tinubu government. This further underscores the need for trade unions to organize mass struggle and unite the working people.

A pamphlet produced by the CDWR and titled “Tinubu’s Tax Reform will Compound The Economic Crises” was presented by Chinedu Bosah, Publicity Secretary of the CDWR, and copies shared with unions and civil society organizations in attendance.

The trade unions represented were urged to make donations towards production of more copies of the pamphlet and subsequent materials that should be produced in the struggle against the tax reform.

DSM comrades sold twenty six copies of the Socialist Democracy (SD). Some of the participants had previously bought copies of the edition at different events in the past.

CDWR email: [email protected]

More detailed report later