A group of non governmental organsiation, National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) don tell Government say make dem increase the tax ontop soft drinks from N10 to N30. A representative of the coalition, Mr. Edozie Chukwuma, make the call on Monday for Abuja.
The Federal Government in 2021 bin introduce tax on top soft drink, the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) tax, wey make am mandatory say for every 1litre of soft drink, the company go pay 10naira tax.
“We dey ask the federal government, Ministries of Finance and Health to protect the lives of country pipo. Sugary drinks dey very cheap and e dey easy to access, but the health mata wey e dey cause people no cheap, na eim make we dey ask say make dem increase tax for soft drinks and use the akpalakpala from the tax care for country pipo wey dey sick”.
“ We dey ask say make dem increase the tax from N10 to N30 per liter as na wetin World Health Organization, the ogbonge body mata organisation for obodo world recommend. We believe say if dey above the 20% recommendation e go reduce consumption.” Mr. Chukwuma yarn.
Okwu Gloria wey represent the coalition talk say treatment for non-communicable disease dey high and ordinary Nigerians dey find am difficult to comot money from pocket take pay for medical bills and medications.
She come yarn say if them use the akpalakpala from the tax put inside we wealth health sector, the average man go dey fit get ogbonge health care for obod naija. “We know sey increase for tax in sugar based beverages go reduce consumption and also e go reduce non communicable diseases for future.”.
“We dey seek for a way to better the health of Nigerians especially the poor wey no fit cushion the effect of living with NCDs in Nigeria. 10 per liter na just about 6.8 percent meanwhile WHO recommends 20 percent increase.So we never even get to the point where we go begin to see a lot of changes with dis tax.” Gloria yarn.
NASR na coalition of non-governmental Organisations wey dey advocate for policy measures to take reduce the body mata issues wey country pipo dey get for dem over drinking of soft drinks.
