Many members of the World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCOTH), which ended in Singapore over the weekend, concerned that a few months after a national law on tobacco control was adopted, President Goodluck Jonathan has not signed this law, according to OLUKOREDE YISHAU
Two days ago, the international community over the conference, at which it was agreed that health should take precedence over financial gain from the tobacco industry. World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCOTH), which ended in Singapore over the weekend, showed that the tobacco epidemic should be limited to that increases the number of people it kills higher than its current test 6 million per year.
Two reports released at the conference, the fourth edition of the Atlas of Tobacco and Tobacco Watch, paint a picture of the mountain of things. Records show that Nigeria is in jeopardy if the bill on the national tobacco control is not passed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Tobacco Atlas puts cost of smoking in the Nigerian economy in terms of losses for the treatment and poor performance in the $ 591m per year. He said 17000000000 cigarettes produced in the country every year, and showed that more people are getting on tobacco use.
Many participants asked the Nigerian contingent, while the bill passed by the National Assembly remains unsigned. They believe that without a law regulating the industry, initiatives aimed at combating the epidemic in third world countries, such as $ 200 million initiative announced by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the result will achieve little.
President of the Washington-based Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Matt Myers, Jonathan encouraged to sign the bill. Myers said: “If I meet with President Goodluck Jonathan, I will tell him that one, he must do quickly that will save the lives of many Nigerians to sign a bill against tobacco use and to ensure that the country will do it immediately. If tobacco bill is signed and implemented, it will save just for the millions of Nigerians from the time of death. Most importantly, it will protect the Nigerian youth from tobacco addiction and premature death, life. ”
(ERA) of Action for the Protection of the director, corporate reporting, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, said Bill domestication of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the first global agreement in the field of health care developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which Nigeria has ratified.
Oluwafemi said: “The FCTC is one of the most successful international conventions. It includes other specific steps to address the Government of tobacco, including the adoption of tax and price measures to reduce tobacco consumption, the creation of smoke-free workplace and in public spaces, put well-known dangers of Health on tobacco packaging, and combat the illicit trade in tobacco products.
“Big Tobacco is doing everything possible to not apply the rules in accordance with the FCTC; using tactics are hidden under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) in order to deceive people in the government in the extra path, risking people’s health. This tactic includes a partnership agreement between the government and industry, the industry perspective, programmers argue that preventing youth smoking, as well as training for farmers. ”
Communications Manager, Africa Tobacco Control Regional Initiative (ATCRI), Mr. Adeola Akinremi urged Jonathan to sign the bill into law.
Speaking at WCTOH, Akinremi said: “President Jonathan must agree to a bill that could save the lives of many Nigerians in the long term.”
Akinremi noted that the signing of this bill will help the cause for which the mayor of New York was committed to his personal funds.
For Akinsola Owoeye on Tobacco Control Alliance Nigeria, there are several reasons why the bill should be signed. Owoeye said: “Despite the promises of the government and the tobacco industry, the dead began to rise in Nigeria after the BAT entered the study in Lagos showed an increase in smoking prevalence from 8.9 percent to 10 percent and the prevalence of smoking which rose to 16.3 percent. It also shows that two people die every day in a state with tobacco-related diseases. Using conservative estimates of Lagos State, it means that every state in Nigeria held at least, N2, 847,000,000 ($ 18,058,992) for the treatment of smokers in hospitals. Multiply this amount by the 37 states of Nigeria, it also means that Nigeria has lost N105, 339 million ($ 668,182,708) per year. If this figure is justified, he obviously does silly things 10 billion naira ($ 6,343,165) per year, tax BATN “.
