Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw has slammed the government over its plan to increase tariff on calls and data.
The 51-year-old expressed her disappointment over the planned increase on Twitter on Monday.
She tweeted: ‘Your finance minister says they are ready to implement increase in cost of voice calls, sms & data services.
‘This in addition to the existing 7.5% VAT..
‘You pple continue to inflict suffering on the citizens just so you can have more money to pilfer & when caught, you off mic.’
According to the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed the tariff hike will include the implementation of a five percent excise duty tax on all voice calls, SMS, and data services.
This is according to a statement by the minister’s Special Adviser, Media & Communications, Yunusa Tanko Abdullahi.
It reads: ‘In addition to the existing 7.5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT), paid for goods and services across all sectors of the economy
‘The government made the disclosure on five percent excise duty during a stakeholders’ meeting, organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms industry regulator.
‘At that meeting, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, who was represented by the Assistant Director, Tax Policy, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Musa Umar, noted: ‘The five percent excise duty has been in the Finance Act 2020, but has never been implemented. Henceforth, the five percent excise duty will be collected by telecom operators and payment made to the federal government on a monthly basis, on or before 21st of every month’
