September 25, 2009
To every Lagosian, Governor Fasola is the best that happened to Lagos since the creation of the state. One cannot deny the governor took some giant stride since he took over the running of the state. To begin to enumerate his achievement here is to repeat what others had written before which is not the purpose of this write-up.
No matter the achievement of an individual, the moment he began to see himself as the man who knows it all his free fall begins. Remember the Roman emperor who declared pompously “I am the state?”
The fall of Olabisi Akande in Osun state was not because of non performance but because only he knew what was good for the state. Against the advice of his advisers, he commenced a systematic reduction of the state workforce which was eating deep into the budget of the state in a purely civil service state. The cry against the move was monumental but because his move was in the best interest of the state, he ignored his people cry of anguish. When the political buccaneers came calling, the people just looked away.
Despite Fasola’s achievement in Lagos, two moves he made signify the beginning of his political downfall and scuttle his second term ambition. These are the Land Use Tax and the Consumption Tax. The land use tax replaces the tenement rate while the consumption tax is a duplication of the Federal Government VAT.
Against all advice like Akande, Fasola is going ahead in implementing those two unpopular decisions. The Land Use Tax will drive house rent to the roof in Lagos. Before the introduction of the unpopular land tax, I paid 1, 200 Naira as tenement rate to the local government for my two bedroom bungalow in Ikorodu. Now people tell me the least I can pay under the new tax regime is between 25 and 30,000.00 Naira. Where would a poor retiree like me get that kind of money? I receive only 11,000 Naira as my pension every month which is not even enough to feed my family. If I have tenants which I don’t, I would simply add this to their house rent. See what I mean.
The industrial people that are to pay the consumption tax says it amount to double taxation. If the governor succeeded in having his way, the added cost would just be passed on to us the consumer. Where then is the poverty alleviation the governor mouths every time? The man rather than alleviate the suffering of the Lagosians would be adding to it with this two unpopular taxes. If he man continue to implement this two taxes, I can guarantee him that no matter how well he beautifies Lagos landscape, when the buccaneers comes calling Lagosians will look the other way.
Whatever touch the life of individual personally is what matters when electoral decisions are to be taken by them and not what touches their lives collectively. Fasola should listen to what the good people of Lagos are saying, his consumption tax and his land use tax are two tax too many.
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