PDP demands one-year tax holiday for Kwara workers

The Peoples Democratic Party in Kwara State has called on Governor AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq to extend the recently announced three-month tax holiday for civil servants in the state to one year.

The party also asked the governor to immediately pay all outstanding bonuses approved for sections of the state workforce, including local government employees and State Universal Basic Education Board teachers.

Also asked to be included as beneficiaries of outstanding bonus payments are workers in government parastatals who were excluded in the initial announcement.

The party said if approved, the move would provide relief to civil servants still struggling to make ends meet.

The governor, on October 19, 2024, approved the payment of N70,000 minimum wage to workers with effect from October.

The organised labour, however, complained about the deduction of high taxes from the October salary and appealed to the government to grant them 50 per cent tax relief.

In response, the government approved a financial bonus equivalent to the monthly PAYE obligation for every civil servant in the state, including local government workers.

The Commissioner for Finance, Dr Hauwa Nuru, said the emergency support measure would last for three months to help workers adjust to the PAYE correctly implemented in line with the Personal Income Tax Act.

In a statement made available to The PUNCH in Ilorin, on Thursday, by its state Publicity Secretary, Mr Olusegun Adewara, the PDP expressed disappointment that the bonuses, which were announced with much fanfare by the government, had yet to be paid to many civil servants, especially SUBEB and LG employees.

“A government that received a substantial N7.8bn allocation in September should have no difficulty paying above the national minimum wage, let alone default on the payment of meagre bonuses promised to civil servants.

“Governor Abdulrazaq, as chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), should emulate progressive measures taken in neighbouring states like Kogi, where a one-year tax holiday and a minimum wage of N72,500 were approved, and Oyo, where Governor Seyi Makinde granted an indefinite tax holiday alongside N80,000 minimum wage.

“These actions demonstrate a commitment to workers’ welfare, unlike Kwara State, where policies and unfulfilled promises have left workers disillusioned.

“As the NGF chairman, Governor AbdulRazaq should lead by example and implement policies that other governors would emulate, rather than making Kwara workers feel neglected under his administration,” the party said.

The PDP also urged the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Teachers to revisit its recent hike in union dues and revert to the old order.

“The increase in NUT dues levied on Grade Level 12 officers from N987 to N3,300 is unreasonable and exploitative, particularly when teachers are already burdened by economic hardship,” the PDP said.

It advised the NUT and other labour leaders to demand additional funding from the governor.

The party also bemoaned the growing poverty rate in the state which, it claimed, was nearing 48 per cent, and urged the governor to prioritise meaningful interventions for the people and, most especially, the workers.

“The PDP in Kwara State will continue to push for policies and actions that uplift the people of the state and ensure that the government is accountable to the people,” the statement noted.