MISREPRESENTATION AND MISCONCEPTION OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN OUR MARKETS; EXPECTATIONS FROM MARKET LEADERS…
Recent agitation by Eziukwu market women on the new consolidated tax has propelled a deeper digging into knowing the “whys and whats” that are the causes of misrepresentations and misconceptions of some government policies, especially in our market arenas.
All over the globe, government policies are made to be presented to the public through various means. Apart from the media, institutions or groups, such policies have direct bearing which are always communicated directly or indirectly. For instance, when Abia State government, under the able leadership of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, Ph.D decided to take the first batch of thirty youths to learn automated shoemaking in China, government took the information to the leadership of the artisans, who informed their members. That must be why the programme was a success. Such has been the case in many other programmes and policies of government in the State. By implication, it is not the business of the government to take its policies to the door steps of every concerned citizen or resident of the State, they get the proper information either through the mass media or their leaders. That’s the core essence of their position as leaders.
Therefore, market leaders and executive of individual markets in Abia State, just like other leaders of institutions and organizations are expected to take home government policies and decisions about them to their members. This is a very simple way of bridging the gap between the government and different segments of the people. For traders and their likes, the need to bring those pieces of information to the members cannot be over-emphasized, especially as most of them may not have time to tune to radio to get proper information. After all, this method of sharing information among people is acceptable in communication studies, particularly, with the Two-step flow communication model, introduced by a sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld et al in 1944, in which ideas or information flow from mass media to opinion leaders, and from them to a wider population.
So, the recent development in Eziukwu market in Aba, where the market women were said to have protested against the State government on an issue of consolidated tax of N18,000, which their leaders (the market executive) were privy to and failed to communicate same to their members is a testament to the fact that the leadership does not carry the members along in the scheme of things. Had they done the needful by passing proper information to their members there wouldn’t have been any protest against the government.
Knowing too well that most traders may not have the time for listening to radio or get proper information from other reliable means. These traders may fall victim of misinformation, which may lead to misguided actions.
However, Abia State Internal Revenue Service Agency, the agency in charge of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the State deserves commendation for coming up quickly with explanations about the said consolidated tax for the shop owners. It is necessary to reiterate that the N18,000 been talked about is an annual payment for the shop owners. Also, this total amount of N18,000 is derived from the N1,500 monthly which is expected to be paid by the shop owners; which is the N75 per day they pay for an average of 20 working days in a month. This N18,000 covers Personal Income Tax, ASEPA, Stallage, ABSAA, PPIDF and Fire Service fees payable by these individuals. And it covers all that the shop owners should pay for the year. The essence of making the tax a consolidated one is to eliminate multiple agents and agencies going to the market and shop owners for one revenue or the other. One does not think that government was wrong to have agreed with the market executive to make the whole payments to be just one.
It is equally necessary to stress that stakeholders in the market, including the ASMATA and all Market Chairmen took part in the decision and agreed with the government, but regrettably were not able to communicate to their members. Well, whether it is by omission or commission, the lesson to be learnt is the need for all leaders of organizations, institutions and markets to always bridge the gap between government and the people’s leaders in those organizations or groups. Those who are part of hoarding useful information should learn from this.
It is imperative to enjoin all Abia people and residents to maintain their unfettered support for the Governor, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu to enable him succeed in making Abia great in this second tenure. Abia people will not regret voting Governor Ikpeazu for the second time.
God direct our leaders aright!
God bless Abia State!
UNU,
A concerned Abia citizen writes.
(newmanubani@yahoo.com)
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