FG cannot operate without tax payment, VAT and charging the right prices on petrol products – Dangote

The Nigerian business Magnate, Aliko Dangote has stated that the government cannot operate without tax payment, increase Value Added Taxes, and charging the right prices on petrol products.

The Billionaire Industrialist said this while speaking during a meeting of the Nigeria Peace Committee with the Nigerian Guild of Editors, on Wednesday

Dangote said, “How do they expect a government to function without paying taxes. But you have to pay tax; they want to increase VAT, people shout. They want to charge right pricing on petrol products and some people say no.

“So where is the money going to come from? So, it is a collective responsibility. If you want to be safe, you have to contribute your own quota to be safe. It doesn’t come that cheap.

“We have to be careful with the kind of news we disseminate because in areas where there is no peace, nobody will invest and that is why it is always good for us to talk good about the country.

“The question of security is everybody’s business. Even us, today, we cannot do any business without security and that is why the private sector promised to put in N100bn to support the police in terms of security.

Take the issue of Kagara, there were only eight policemen in a big Local Government Area like Kagara. So these are the issues.”

The Former Head of state and chairman of the committee, Abubakar Abdulsalami also spoke at the meeting, citing that the proliferation of illegal arms has contributed greatly to the current rate of insecurity in the country.

He noted that that  the estimated figure of illegal weapons circulating the country is up to 6 million

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, called on Nigerians to close ranks and work for humanity.

Other guests were a former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd, who attended and spoke virtually); Ekiti State governor and chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi; Plateau State governor and chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Simon Lalong.

Gowon urged all Nigerians, irrespective of religious and political differences, “to see the nation’s challenges, including insecurity, as one that must be tackled and resolved collectively.”