Nigeria: Implement Tobacco Control Act

Source from:  The Nation 01/15/2016

The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has urged the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, to expedite action on the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act signed into law in May 2015 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Deputy Director of ERA/FoEN Akinbode Oluwafemi, who spoke with reporters yesterday in Abuja, said a tobacco corporation, Philip Morris International, was planning a comeback into the Nigerian market.

Akinbode said the company got the certificate of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to import the product into the country.

He said: "Among others, we demand full probe of the transaction with a view to bringing to justice any government official that compromised in the process of the illegal importation."

"In addition, we are asking for a withdrawal from the market and destruction of the consignment and removal of tobacco products from trade liberalisation policies."

"While we await the next step of the Senate in considering a petition sent to it on the illegal act, we urged the Ministry of Health to expedite action or come up with strong and effective regulations for the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act."

"Our position remains unchanged, delay in the implementation of the Act will be exploited by the tobacco industry to begin a new onslaught on our nation and particularly our youths." Enditem