Multiple taxes affecting growth of Nigeria’s telecoms sector, ATICEN laments
By Joy Obakeye
Telecommunication companies under the aegis of Association of Telecommunications, Information Technology, Cable Satellite Network Operators and Allied Services Employers’ of Nigeria (ATICEN), say the current heavy taxes imposed on telecoms companies at the federal, state and local government levels, have been major obstacle, stressing that, there is a need to remove the barriers to smooth operations in the telecom industry.
The President of Union, Comrade Adede John Williams disclosed this during stakeholders’ meeting, tagged ‘The Benefit of Industry Trade Union.’
He explained that telecoms operators were facing difficulties operating in the nation, which is affecting their bottom line and operating cost.
“Multiple taxes affect the operating environment and there are nuisance taxes which are taxes that are not in the statute, and it is in an attempt to collect those taxes that public actors often disrupt telecom services.
“Those types of illegal taxes and levies should be eliminated. The cost and process of collecting them today are offensive and very destructive and that should stop. That is what we are saying.
So, there are two things that we are saying.
“The taxes that are not supposed to be, they should be removed. Once those taxes are removed, the actions of public actors when collecting the taxes will end. We did say the classification of telecoms as critical national economic infrastructure is very important.
This issue of critical national infrastructure comes to bear again, we need this classification to be able to minimise the destruction.”
He urged government to provide some form of intervention, adding that this will go a long way to address the challenges in the sector.
He said the union, which got registered in 2022 is set to protect the interest of it’s members, create employment opportunity and ensure development in the sector.
“The over-arching goal of this stakeholders’ meeting is to share vital industry information at all levels and to examine, discuss, brainstorm and proffer pragmatic ideas to the challenges facing the industry today and fears for tomorrow confronting Nigerian employers.
“As the Chief Executive Officers, we owe a duty to our employees to go beyond providing employment.
This is why we are here today, deliberate on the relevancy of our Association in helping ourselves to identify the way forward in some of the challenges in the industry.
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I hereby use this medium to encourage all of us to make this opportunity count. As I congratulate all of us on our collective diligence and persistence that led to the successful registration of this Association with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“As of today , I can make bold to authoritatively inform you all through this meeting that an industry Trade Union Employers Association that is representing the Telecommunications, Information Technology, Satellite Cable Operators and industry subsector Allied Services Employers’ operating in Nigeria has been duly registered and officially Gazetted into the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette Journal, under the Trade Unions Act, Cap T.14 of 2004 as amended by the Trade Unions Amendment Act of 2005,” Williams said.
“We are saying that let the regulator provide some form of intervention. We have made those prayers to the regulator.”
Also speaking at the event, Barrister Mary Ekemezie, Special guest speaker urged the union to represent and defend members on labour related matters, as well as protect the interest of members at all times and to foster industrial relations between employers, employees and trade unions.
