NASR Kick Starts Advocacy Against Excess Sugar Consumption

BY GLORIA USMAN, ABUJA – A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) on the platform of “National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR)” has called for citizens sensitisation on the harmful effects of consumption of too much ‘sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs)’.

NASR is a coalition of Non-governmental organisations advocating for policy measures to tackle the health risks of consuming SSBs.

NASR representative, Omei Bongos, said there is the dire need to create more awareness to highlight the poor effects of drinking SSBs on health.

Bongos said this on the sidelines of the National Assembly’s consideration of placing tax on SSB during it’s plenary.

The motion presented by Hon Abubakar Naralaba, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Pilgrims Affairs, indicated that SSBs pose harm to the health of Nigerians, adding that citizens have a right to be protected from these harms.

He noted that Nigeria is the fourth-highest SSB consuming country in the world, saying that the motion proposed a 5 to 10 per cent exercised tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.

This tax, as stated in the motion, would be aimed at discouraging SSB consumption and preventing its damaging health effects such as type 2 diabetes.

The motion also included a proposal to mandate the labeling of beverage packaging to make clear the health risks linked to the consumption of SSBs.

Bongos said; “This is a good step forward for healthy food policy in Nigeria, but there remains much more to be done. There’s needs for more awareness to highlight the poor effects of drinking SSBs on health.

“A tax will be part of a comprehensive package of interventions to tackle non-communicable diseases, NCDs, like hypertension, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”

Speaking in agreement with Bongos, the Secretary General of Diabetes Association of Nigeria (Co-Chair of the NASR Coalition), Mr Bernard Enyia, said he has come to realise the irreversible damage SSB has on people, adding that as a Nigerian living with type 2 diabetes, he realised that SSBs causes irreversible damage to people who drink them.

“This damage includes complications and premature death, and as such all producers and marketers of these products are culpable.

“The 5 to 10 per cent being considered by the National Assembly as excise duty will compel the producers of these beverages to respond quickly and also encourage citizens to make healthier choices,” he said.