The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the federal government to suspend the implementation of the newly-enacted tax laws until it carries out a nationwide public enlightenment campaign.

Speaking in an interview with Arise Television, NLC spokesperson Benson Upah said the government failed to consult organised labour before passing and signing the laws, despite workers being the country’s largest group of taxpayers.

Upah said the lack of consultation has fuelled resistance, not only among workers but across the wider public.

“We intend to push for action,” he said. “Even though we were excluded from the process of drafting these laws, something must be done now.

“There must be a massive enlightenment campaign that allows our members to understand and participate. Until that happens, these laws should not be implemented.”

He warned that enforcing the tax laws without public understanding could trigger opposition.

“The consequences will be obvious,” Upah said. “Anything we do not subscribe to will face resistance — not just from organised labour, but from Nigerians in general.”

Upah said the NLC was deliberately excluded when the tax laws were being developed. He added that the union formally requested representation when the tax reform committee was set up, but received no response.

“We were not consulted before these laws were introduced, yet we are the biggest tax-paying community in the country,” he said. “Since the laws came into effect, no one has taken responsibility for educating workers about what has changed.”

He also questioned the government’s claim that people earning below ?1 million annually are exempt from the new tax regime, arguing that most formal sector workers earn above that threshold when the national minimum wage is applied.

Upah urged the government to engage labour unions urgently to prevent unrest and ensure workers fully understand the implications of the new tax system. (BusinessDay)