Today, distillers and blenders association of Nigeria (DIBAN), a sub-sector group of manufactures association- MAN, petitioned the Senate to review the proposed/recently increased excise tariff in order to save local distillers of wine and spirits from looming extinction.
Senator John OwanEnoh led members of the Senate committed on a day public hearing on the urgent need to review excise tariff increment which took effect on Monday 4th June, 2018 notwithstanding various complains from stakeholders.
The petitioner, Chief P. Anegbe, the chairman of DIBAN expressed his deepest appreciation of the conscientious and timely effort of the distinguished members of the 8th Senate for considering the plight of local manufacturers and thousand of hard pressed Nigerians who stand to loose all the fruit of their labour if the upward review of the excise tariff on locally manufactures wines and spirits by the minister of finance is allowed to stand.
The decision to conduct the one day public hearing was taken after the motion was raised and debated on the floor of the Senate at its sitting on Tuesday 8th may 2018.
The committee on finance was mandated to carry out further legislative action to enable the Senate adopt a comprehensive decision and make a proper intervention to instigate the effect of the excise tariff increment on local distillers of beverage and tobacco manufacturers.
DIBAN in its petition claimed to have employed over 250,000 direct and indirect labour, believes that all sector of the Nigeria Economy must do their best to lend full support to the effort to grow the internal generated revenue IGR of government and reduce the overarching reliance on oil as the economy’s mainstay.
ADEBOYE OMOBOYE