Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance, a non-governmental organisation, has urged President Bola Tinubu to champion the strengthening and implementation of tobacco control laws in order to safeguard Nigerians’ health.
The announcement was made by NTCA on Thursday during a press conference held to recognise World No Tobacco Day.
Every year on May 31, WNTD is observed all over the world, and this year’s theme is “Grow Food, Not Tobacco.”
The theme, according to NTCA Chairman Akinbode Oluwafemi, alerts people around the world to the risks associated with tobacco farming.
He claimed that although the tobacco industry portrays tobacco farmers as being financially successful, this is not the case. Farmers who have spent years cultivating tobacco in Nigeria still live in poverty.
“Your Excellency Bola Tinubu, we congratulate you on your recent inauguration as President of Nigeria,” said Oluwafemi, who was speaking on behalf of the programme coordinator, Chibuike Nwokorie. It is crucial that you are made aware of several pressing tobacco control issues as you start your administration. We want to ask you to put the same vigour into tobacco control that you promised Nigerians you would put forth.
“Despite obstacles, we succeeded in passing the National Tobacco Control Act, 2015, under former President Goodluck Jonathan. The National Tobacco Control Regulations, 2019, were also passed under the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. In keeping with the solemn oath you took on May 29, 2023, you can advocate for the strengthening and implementation of our tobacco control laws to safeguard the health of all Nigerians.
While tobacco farming has decreased in the industrialised world in recent years, he pointed out that it has increased in low-income nations in Africa, particularly in Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia.
“Tobacco is primarily grown in the states of Kwara, Osun, Oyo, and Sokoto in Nigeria.
Wet tobacco leaves produce nicotine and other toxins during the growing and curing of tobacco, which are then ingested by consumers. Farmers are afflicted with green tobacco disease as a result. Due to exposure to tobacco leaves, tobacco growers are also known to experience respiratory and neurological conditions.
“Over 25 million people in Nigeria and over 300 million people worldwide, according to the United Nations, are suffering from hunger. Large portions of arable land are being converted to wastelands by the cultivation of tobacco in response to the impending food insecurity.
“Parties are encouraged to promote economically viable and sustainable alternatives to tobacco farmers by Article 17 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria is in charge of promoting this goal. How much land is used for tobacco farming in Nigeria, though, is unknown. It is challenging to identify and plan interventions for tobacco farmers because of this crucial data gap, the author claimed.
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He requested that the FMARD disclose the scope of tobacco farming in Nigeria and develop plans to assist tobacco farmers in switching to wholesome crops like maize, cassava, guinea corn and even livestock.
“All agencies tasked with carrying out the National Tobacco Control Act must collaborate, share information and resources, and work cohesively for the implementation of these laws,” he continued. These agencies include the Federal Ministry of Health, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and others.
