Report: Lagosians Back Governor Sanwo-Olu on VAT Collection, Open Grazing Ban

Eight in 10 residents of Lagos State are in full support of the Sanwo-Olu administration and the state House of Assembly on the passage and signing into law of the VAT law and the Act prohibiting open grazing in the state.

Lagosians, according to a poll conducted by Lagos-based FREDDAN Continental Services, a public relations and ICT consultancy firm, believed that domestication of the collection of VAT by Lagos State would improve the capacity of the state government to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

Executive Director of FREDDAN Continental Services, Olufemi Lawson, said the poll was supervised by the organisation’s team, made up of experienced development experts, media entrepreneurs, and data analysts. Lawson stated that the two top issues raised by the poll, seen by THISDAY, were in line with the prevailing subjects of discussion among Nigerians, particularly Lagosians, the largest contributors to the VAT regime in the country.

Data generated from the state-wide survey also showed that concerns over the menace of farmers/herders conflicts, occasioned by the now unpopular uncontrolled open grazing of cattle across the country, generated a lot of interest.

Lawson said the two issues cited above were at the highest point in the surveys.

He said the FREDDAN SMS poll was conducted Sunday through Wednesday, and over 50,000 residents were contacted through the Short Message Services on major telecom networks spreading across the state.

Lawson said the poll found no significant differences between respondents who had largely subscribed to participate before and after the eventual outcome.

Lawson stated, “The poll, which we conducted via telephone SMS, requested respondents, if they are in support or not, of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu proposed bill on VAT and anti-open grazing recently presented to the Lagos State House of Assembly.

“From a total number of 24,564 Respondents out of the over 50,000 who received the SMS poll, a total of 21,125 voted YES, in support of the governor’s decision, while 3,439 voted NO, against the VAT and anti-open grazing bills, amounting to about 86 per cent to 14 per cent, respectively.

“Analysis of the poll results shows there is a popular acceptance of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration’s decision on these bills and this cut across almost every section of Lagosians.”

Alex Enumah in Abuja, Gideon Arinze in Enugu and Peter Uzoho in Lagos

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