Nigeria: BATN Backs Tobacco Control Bill

Source from:  Daily Independent 07/23/2009

British American Tobacco of Nigeria (BATN) pledged on Tuesday to comply with a new legislation that seeks to control tobacco use in the country when it becomes operational. BATN Area Head of Regional Affairs, Tony Okwoju, made the pledge before the Senate Committee on Health headed by Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello. The committee concluded its two-day public hearing on a bill to enact National Tobacco Control at Tuesday's sitting. Okwoju said in addition to paying N80 billion tax, the company in 2002 established the BATN Foundation which to date has completed 77 community projects in 34 of the 36 states in Nigeria. On the proposed bill, Okwoju explained that much as it supported the enactment of the bill, there were areas that create real concerns. "There are provisions in the bill, which we believe are either extreme and would have unintended consequences or will only make it difficult or impossible for the legal industry to operate, without necessarily achieving the desired objective of reducing the impact of tobacco on public health. "We have seen cases where extreme regulation has resulted in an increase in the levels of illicit trade", he said, adding: "we believe every law should be crafted in a manner that will ensure that the desired results are achieved. "We believe that the purpose of a tobacco control law should be the reduction of the impact of tobacco on public health. It should not be to force legal tax-paying tobacco companies out of business". He told the committee that the company is not a criminal organization, adding that a thorough amendment of the bill would ensure it avoids negative consequences. Enditem