Alhagie Janneh, Chairman of Alcohol Policy Alliance (APA) Gambia has expressed his organization’s disappointment regarding Gambia government excise tax reduction on Banjul Breweries Limited Alcohol products from 70 percent to 35%.
He described the decision as industrial interference meant to counter the civil society organisations strategy in reducing alcohol consumption in the country.
Janneh also a board member of the West African Alcohol Policy Alliance (WAAPA) made this remarks at his office in Wellingara where he also expressed his organization’s worrying stance to the level of alcohol consumption in the country by youths between 18-35 years.
He noted that 27.7 percent of Gambian youths are engage in alcohol consumption which is harmful to the future of the country.
“As a civil society organization we are totally against the move and I must admit we are not happy with the excise tax reduction on Banjul Breweries Limited. Considering the level of alcohol consumption by the youth, that is on the increase relative to the age cohort from 18-35years.
It’s unfortunate that alcohol consumption has gone up to 27.7 percent among Gambian youths and reducing the excise tax will go a long way in paving ways for more youths to engage in alcohol consumption,” Janneh pointed out.
According to him, the level of alcohol consumption is indeed worrying in the country compared to Ghana, arguing that Ghana which is predominantly a Christian society is at 26 percent while Gambia that is mainly a Muslim society scaled to 27.7percent, quoting the World Health Organization’s report.
“We regard this revise excise tax by government as an industrial interference because it is meant to counter the efforts of the civil society organizations efforts in reducing alcohol consumption in the country.
As civil society organization the only way we can minimized the consumption of alcohol is through the increment of tax and once you reduce the tax levy on alcohol product it is the industry that wins and the masses suffers,” Janneh noted.
The APA-Gambia Chairman also dismissed the arguments presented by a member of the National Assembly Select Committee on Trade and Finance at the adjournment debate, arguing that the select committee was only interest at the economic gains that government will make not about the havoc alcohol consumption will cause in the Gambian society.
“We are not happy with the National Assembly Select Committee because we thought that they did not do their homework to come to the conclusion of reducing the excise tax as it will encourage more youths to engage in the consumption of alcohol.
The 2018 WHO report indicated that alcohol uses resulted to 130 dead in the country should have been considered as well as the increasing number of youths consuming alcohol in the country which is quite worrying should have been considered before any reduction in the excise tax made,” Janneh said.
He said government is the primary duty bearer as far as the production and consumption of alcohol is concern in the country, noting that whatever government is doing it should look at the best interest of the masses but with regard to the excise tax reduction it doesn’t take the interest of the people into consideration but rather the interest of Banjul Breweries Limited.
“With this reduction in excise tax I can say government is not looking at the best interest of the people and this can be affirmed by the 2018 WHO report that indicated that about 130 people died as a result of alcohol mainly due to liver problem and equally about 120 died due to alcohol consumption in road accidents,” APA chairman disclosed.
He calls on Gambia government to come up with an alcohol policy that will go a long way in addressing the dangers associated with alcohol use, while urging government to reconsider increasing the excise tax levied on alcohol in a bid to reducing the level of consumption as well as building a bright future for the youths of this country.