Nigerian Government To Impose New Tax On Phone Calls To Finance Healthcare

The Nigerian government is set to impose a new tax on phone calls in the country in order to cater for Nigerian citizens considered to be most vulnerable to health challenges.

This information was contained in the National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2021 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari recently.

The telecom tax is the equivalent of a minimum of one kobo per second for phone calls to boost the funds required to finance free healthcare for the vulnerable group in Nigeria defined to include pregnant women, children under five, the aged, physically and mentally challenged, and the indigent as may be defined from time to time.”

The act includes a provision under Section 26 subsection 1c which states that the source of money for the Vulnerable Group Fund includes telecommunications tax, not less than one kobo per second of GSM calls.

“The tax is one of the sources of fund to the Vulnerable Group Fund to subsidise the provision of healthcare to the vulnerable group.

According to the act, the Vulnerable Group Fund is money budgeted to pay for healthcare services for vulnerable Nigerians who cannot afford health insurance in a bid to subsidise the cost of provision of health care services to vulnerable people in the country.

For funding, the act provides several options such as basic health care provision fund to the authority; health insurance levy; telecommunications tax, not less than one kobo per second of GSM calls.

It also stipulates that money that may be allocated to the Vulnerable Group Fund by the Government; mostly that accrues to the Vulnerable Group Fund from investments made by the Council are grants, donations, gifts, and any other voluntary contributions made to the Vulnerable Group Fund.

Also in the new act, every citizen in Nigeria is expected to obtain a health insurance policy.

The Significance of social groups to an individual and the society written by Valentine C. Muoma

When a thing or phenomenon is tagged significant it means the thing is imperative, important, relevant, necessary, consequential, essential, etc which means that social groups are necessary for the development of an individual and the society.

A group can be defined as a number of things or persons being in some relation to one another. 

A group can also be defined as subset of a culture or of a society. According to Wikipedia, There are four main types of groups: 1) primary groups, 2) social groups, 3) collectives, and 4) categories

 In the social sciences, a social group can be defined as two or more people who interact with one another, share similar characteristics, and collectively have a sense of unity. Social groups come in a myriad of sizes and varieties. For example, a society can be viewed as a large social group. The system of behaviors and psychological processes occurring within a social group or between social groups is known as group dynamics. 

Socialization Socialization is the process of internalizing the norms and ideologies of the society.

 Socialization can also be defined as a process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group (or society) and behave in a manner approved by the group (or society) 

Socialization encompasses both learning and teaching and is thus, The means by which social and cultural continuity are attained.

 Humans need social experiences to learn their culture and to survive. Socialization essentially represents the whole process of learning throughout the life course and is a central influence on the behavior, beliefs and actions of adults as well as of children.

Significance of social groups to an individual and the society. Membership of social groups are very essential for the following reasons:

i. social groups help the people know themselves better, interact, learn more about their history and cultural values.

ii. Social groups also helps to promote love and unity between the members of the community.

iii. Social groups enables the people come together to fight external aggression.

iv. Social groups helps the people come together to meliorate the challenges confronting them such as rebellion, financial challenge, land dispute, marital crises, family crises, nymphomania, psychological trauma, etc

v. Social groups come together to establish a force that help in the maintenance of law and order in the community.

vi. Social groups gives the people the privilege to partake in the decision making process of the community.

vii. Social groups endorse persons who adjudicate on the abnormalities truncating the progress of the community.

ix. Social groups contribute to the development of the community by sponsoring projects for the provision and maintenance of the infrastructural facilities of the community.

x. Social groups ensure that the customs, traditions, values and norms of their people does not go into extinction.

xi. Social groups helps in the preservation of the cultural artifacts of their people.

xii. Social groups aid Ekistics. Ekistics is the scientific study of human settlements and the planning and design of cities and other communities.

SALVAGE NIGERIA FROM RETROGRESSION

By Valentine C. Muoma

Nigeria my country

The giant of Africa

Blessed with natural resources

Free from natural disasters

Colonized and exploited by developed Nations

Finally became sovereign in 1960

Nigeria my country

Presently skewed by modernization theory,

Leading to the politics of retrogression and

Economy of recession

The politics of demagoguery, prebendalism, tribalism and imperialism has become a norm

Paving way for mediocrity, insecurity, inequality, dependency, corruption, bad governance and all forms of malfeasance

Our redemption from retrogression can be actualized by:

Severing foreign relations detrimental to our development

Pursuit of internal growth policy with cognizance to our peculiarities

Political restructuring where mediocrity gives way to meritocracy

An independent judiciary devoid of external interference

Diversifying the economy towards ICT, Agriculture and entrepreneurship is essential

Allocating more revenue to the advancement of our educational sector 

Upholding the principle of equity and respect for human rights

Empowering law enforcement agencies for the fight against corruption and insecurity

Shunning ethnicity and embracing national integration

With these redemption measures in place,

The motto of our Nation "Unity and faith, peace and progress",

Would be seen not just in theory but also in practice

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PROCEDURES TO FINDING A GREAT LIFE PARTNER BY MUOMA VALENTINE CHIBUEZE.

Marriage as we all know is the union between man and a woman to become husband and wife. 

Most persons jump into marriage due to:

A. Peer pressure: they feel all their friends are getting married so they cannot be left behind

B. Family pressure: Nwakaego my son I need to see my grandchildren so you must marry my friends daughter Mgbeke 

C. Money: As a smart girl I  have to accept Obi proposal, he is a big boy at onitsha and I cannot allow this once in a lifetime opportunity of marrying a billionaire pass me by like that. "I be smart babe na I no be mugu"

D. Age: I would be 35 years by January and yet no husband. Is like I would consider Alhaji Bello's marriage proposal I don't mind being his fourth wife

E.  Infatuation / urge for sex: Nna body no be firewood oh, I need a pretty damsel as a wife at least make I use am keep body and soul together.

F. Just to have kids: chai, Mama Ada a lady am 10 years older than urged that mannerless ape she calls a daugher to insult me. Infact I must get married this month if possible tomorrow.

G. The feeling they have made money and must marry immediately

H. To fulfill all righteousness: meeting their target of getting married before the end of a given period

As a man there are certain procedures that should be followed in order to find your soulmate. 

These are my suggested steps that can help you find the love of your life:

1. Acquire formal education and technical skills, develop your intellect

2. Accumulation of wealth: Gather enough money that can sustain both yourself, wife, and children

Acquire properties.

3. Start preparing yourself for marriage physically, emotionally, psychologically, etc.   Start adjusting your lifestyle from that of a bachelor to a family man ( most people take this for granted)

4. Then you can start looking for your soulmate. Start by being close friends

5. Tell her everything about your past, your likes, dislikes, religious beliefs, tradition, while she does same

6. Conduct a thorough research and find out the culture of the village she is coming from and how they behave. (Your family members can help you with that)

7. Meet with her family (parents) while she meets yours. After studying them rigorously If you don't flow well with them after sometime then you can consider ending the relationship (you don't just marry a lady you also marry her family as well)

8. After running your own compatibility tests, ensure you also go for medical tests ie Genotype, STD tests(HIV, etc)

9. After passing through these processes then you can propose to her

10. Discuss with her on how you want to both of you to live as husband and wife (your expectations) while she does same.

11.  Seek God's guidance, approval and direction on how to go about your marriage 

12. Marriage proper: Traditional and white wedding.

MY EULOGY TO AN EPITOME OF EXCELLENCE BY MUOMA VALENTINE CHIBUEZE.

Achebe, A true leader
Whose utterances were truth bound
Counteracted racism and oppression
Detested corruption
Fought to elevate his people from mental slavery
Unlike some eccentric leaders
Corrupt masters of the economy
Pursuing their selfish desires

Achebe, the literary icon
Who showcased our rich cultural heritage to the world
A true son of ogidi
Who took pride in his cultural values
Used his write-ups to promote Igbo culture

Achebe, the pride of African literature
Who proved "the pen is mightier than the sword"
An intellectual
Whose impact motivates the youths to acquire formal education
Thereby reducing the Nation's level of illiteracy
Promoting civilization
And the prestige of our educational sector

Achebe, the literary prophet

Through his fourth novel in 1966
Depicted political instability and corruption
Which resonates with contemporary Nigerian reality

Achebe, the protest writer cum activist
Who portrayed African writers as protest writers
Counteracting the ills of the society through write-ups
Spurring the strive against insecurity, assault, corruption and other vices in the society
In a bid to restore the dignity of an average Nigerian.

Oh! How we yarn for another literary icon
A man of the people
With divine inspiration
Who would go further to fight corruption and insecurity to a standstill
Salvage us from the scourges of neo- colonialism
Foster international relations
Promote peace and unite the nation
Restructure our Nation for good.

The Grace of God

Divinely it flows
Securing victory for the mortal
Reinvigorating the weary
Resuscitating the dehydrated

A fountain source of solace
That unites the broken fabrics
And enblisses the earth with peace
Propelling men to greatness

Though in diverse echelons
It serves both the righteous and the unrighteous
Working alike as love in radiation
Being the source of our existence

It loathes boast 
And tolerates not pride 
It is the Grace of God
And only by the Grace of God
It is by Grace

ABOUT THE POET:

Muoma Valentine Chibueze is currently a student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state. Nigeria. He is a poet, essayist and motivational speaker.