By Richard Inoyo
Last week, I woke up to see that my Bank, Stanbic IBTC deducted N1300 from my account and they used the subhead_ withholding tax for the deduction. That money was taken out of my account without details on how they were able to calculate what tax should I pay as withholding tax or what the government should take from my account as withholding tax. The deduction of tax from current account signals a new phase of dangerous precedence that may create unprecedented responses in the coming days.
But that isn’t just it, I was invited sometimes last week to a conference, where I sat and heard the phrase “Frustrated Activists and Armchair Revolutionaries” being used to describe that section of the civic space and the press that has stood up against institutional wrong, the very section that has tirelessly continue to speak truth to power.
The fundamental basis for that description of the noble community of honest activism and journalism in that manner that has refused to join the propaganda machine and sycophantic engine of the State has largely eluded me to this day.
Activists like my self and journalists out there who have refused to compromise and chose not to spread lies for government or lead their propaganda agenda shouldn’t be described in such tone to be frustrated activists and armchair revolutionaries. Our refusal to pick up arms is a mark of civility not cowardice, and respect shouldn’t be given on the basis of arm insurrection.
The simple fact that we are actively investigating, documenting and reporting the facts on the ground to the government with the goal of helping government and public institutions have a balanced perspective of what citizens are going through and the current effect and long-term impacts of government action and inactions; should be awesomely rewarded and not condemned. People like Professor Egaga and Professor Ephraim who are still in kidnappers’ den in Cross River State expect that those of us in the civic space would continue to put the State Government under pressure to have them released while asking that investment be made on CCTV and Radio Gadget on our major roads and streets as well as alarm bells and panic button to citizens. Something that the State House of Assembly has finally join the activist community to demand for from the State Government.
The fact that we are using civil channels to persuade those in government and in the corridor of power to prioritise citizens’ enhancement projects, cultural enterprise development and investment on community renewal projects and critical infrastructure for life and business supports; such development work of goodwill shouldn’t be undermined especially when you realise that it is in the interest of the elected and electorates that all of those investments and priorities are made since it is good for the legacy and reelection of the government in power as well as the long-term security, longevity and wellbeing of citizens along with the growth and development of the state and community economy.
First, as Government moves to impose and deduct arbitrary taxes from the account of business owners and current account holders directly after controlling and selling the nation’s natural resources at our backyard with little to account for, that in itself creates a legitimate ground to demand that the money taken from our account be used judiciously, and the least we expect is that activists and journalists are allowed to hold the government to account and to transparency, after all, not like we are asking youths to invade military cantonments and stockpile wings to pick up public arms, hit the parliament and government houses to confront legislative and executive mismanagement of our commonwealth and time, while asking the military to stand back since nobody is going there to attack them but to rescue the nation from the hands of the crude mistakes the leadership of the country is currently making.
Mama Nigeria is on a self destructive mission from all indications looking at the current policies and the sufferings fuel subsidy removal has created and the mismanagement overshadowing the aftermath.
Let those who are persuading the government via civil means like us to do their jobs, lest we exit, and those willing to pick up arms against the elites responsible for the pains, sufferings and frustrations of citizens take over the stage _ and everybody becomes a loser except the international lenders who will be borrowing the government money for overpriced renovations.
Signed: Richard Inoyo,
Country Director,
Citizens’ Solution Network
