The pronouncement by the Federal Government to introduce an excise duty of N10 per liter on all non-alcoholic, carbonated and sweetened beverages in the country is generating reactions from residents of Ilorin,Kwara state..
Residents and economic experts in the state while reacting to the development described the development as counter-productive and ill-timed.they rather want a tax expansion on the rich class in the country.
According to the Federal Government, the excise duty on soft drinks is a form of tax imposed on locally manufactured goods; the new policy referred to as ‘Sugar Tax’ would discourage excessive consumption of sugar beverages which contributes to diabetes, obesity among others.
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But this seems not to have gone down well with residents and some experts in Iorin the Kwara State capital as they see the development as counter-productive, saying the sugar tax will create more hardship for both manufacturers and the common man.
The experts also advised the federal government to have a rethink on the matter by putting the masses into consideration.
Another fear for these Nigerians is the fact that whenever the prices of goods skyrocket in the country, they hardly come down thereby increasing the hardship in the land.
(Editor Paul Akhagbemhe)
