COVID-19: Youth Workers Want Legislation to Freeze Rents, Taxes

COVID-19: Youth Workers Want Legislation to Freeze Rents, Taxes

By Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Nigerian Youth Workers Association (NYWA) Thursday called on both the State and National Assemblies to come up with legislation that will freeze rents, FIRS taxes and VAT to cushion effect of coronavirus pandemic on private sector companies and the youths in the country.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Thursday, the National Chairman of NYWA, Hon. Ben Duntoye, also called for legislation that would make tenants and landlords negotiate rent payments during this period.

According to him, “We call for a legislation that will make Nigerians who are hit hard by COVID-19, most expecially the youths, to be exempted from paying rent, company taxes, servicing bank loans and utility bills during this period.

He said that, “the youth should not be laid off or coerced to take a pay cut by their employers.

“We acknowledge that these are very difficult times for young people but we appeal to them to stay safe, support government effort to fight the scourge and not to use the situation to go into criminal acts such as roberry and drug abuse.

Duntoye added that, the legislation and exemption of these things from the youths at this period would also go a long way in assisting them to contribute more to the socio-economic development of the country.

He stressed that, “the importance of youths to the socio-economic development of the country cannot be over emphasized and the only way to assist them is to remove all bottlenecks that can impede their commitment to the growth of the nation”.

He also pledged the support and partnership of the organisation with federal and state governments and its willingness to deploy all their organs throughout the nation in the fight against COVID-19.

Duntoye therefore advised youths and Nigerians in general to stay safe and observe all necessary precautions to avert the spread of the virus in the country by adhering strictly to all government directives such as stay home, social distancing etc.

Related Articles