James Emejo in Abuja
The Chairman, House Committee on Health Care Services, Hon. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, has backed the advocacy by the National Action on Sugar Reduction Coalition (NASR) to raise the existing tax on sugar beverages to N20 per litre from N10 per litre.
The 2021 Finance Act had approved a N10 per litre excise tax on sweetened, carbonated and non-alcoholic beverages.
However, the coalition has argued that the tax needed to be raised to adequately address the health challenges occasioned by sugar consumption and to enable investment in health infrastructure in the country.
The group said such increase in sugar tax would make a noticeable health impact on type 2 diabetes and heart disease which are caused by drinking sugary beverages.
Speaking when the coalition paid the committee an advocacy visit recent at the National Assembly, Sununu, alongside the committee’s deputy chairman, Hon. Dr. Samuel Adejare, expressed their support for a raise in carbonated drinks’ tax.
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