MATAN Facilitates Training for Trade and Haulage Agents, Extols President Tinubu’s Support for Market Traders
Ambassador Olakunle Moses Johnson, the Chairman of the Project Steering Committee of the Integrated Market Revenue Management System (IMRMS), operating under the auspices of the Market Traders Association of Nigeria (MATAN), has expressed appreciation for President Bola Tinubu’s dedication to addressing the concerns of market traders.
He emphasized that the recently enacted student loan legislation will offer crucial assistance to the children of market traders, facilitating their access to quality education.
Addressing participants at the VAT and informal sector lecture and training in Cross River State, Ambassador Johnson underscored President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to improving the livelihoods of market traders and expanding educational opportunities for Nigerian youths.
Ambassador Johnson elucidated how the legislation enables Nigerian students to secure low-interest loans for tuition and academic expenses, thereby promoting equal access to quality education irrespective of socio-economic background.
The ongoing lecture, tailored for Trade and Haulage agents, aims to equip them with the necessary skills to digitally enumerate the over 40 million market traders, thereby modernizing revenue collection processes in Nigeria’s marketplaces.
The training initiative in Cross River State forms part of MATAN’s ongoing efforts in the South-South region.
Representing Ambassador Johnson, Israel Mauyon, MATAN Director of Administration, reiterated the significance of President Tinubu’s initiative in fostering inclusivity and empowerment within the informal sector.
IMRMS, a collaborative effort between the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and MATAN, known as the VAT Direct Initiative (VDI), seeks to expand the government’s tax base by digitally enumerating traders, providing them with a digital identity, and monitoring their turnover for VAT collection.
Ambassador Johnson stressed the pivotal role of the VDI in mitigating multiple taxation and bolstering market security.
He urged trainees to serve as exemplary ambassadors of MATAN, emphasizing that the effective collection of VAT from over 40 million traders would enable the government to enhance basic amenities in marketplaces across the nation.
He urged agents present at the event to sensitize members of various market associations to ensure their inclusion in the VAT Direct Initiative (VDI).
Through this initiative, IMRMS aims to collaborate with security agencies to eradicate illegal tax collection practices, thereby improving market conditions and facilitating the government’s provision of basic amenities.
The training workshop in Cross River State also included the issuance of Provisional Letters of Appointment to Local Government Project Managers (Trade), underscoring the commitment to the effective implementation of the VAT Direct Initiative.
