NGO Praises Nigerias’ Stance On Tobacco Control

Nigerian delegation sent to the just-concluded eighth conference of parties, COP8, have been commended by the Environmental human rights advocacy organisation, the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, ERA/Fo.

Mr. Philip Jakpor, Head, Media & Campaigns, said with a strong beliefs that all through the talks on tobacco industry security, Nigeria has taken its pride of place in the tobacco control community.

The alleged that Nigerian delegation advocated strongly that tobacco industry be held accountable for tobacco harms, and also became one of the standard bearers in ensuring that the treaty talks remained focused on stamping out loopholes that might be exploited by the tobacco industry to infiltrate country delegations.

According to the statement, ERA/FoEN’s Deputy Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said: “The Nigerian delegation was exemplary. We anticipate that post-COP8, the Federal Government will move speedily to remove all the bottlenecks to effective tobacco control in the country, particularly the draft regulations for the enforcement of the National Tobacco Control Act.”

Oluwafemi added that Nigeria stood solidly behind the review of the public badges policy, which had hitherto been exploited by the tobacco industry to pressure delegates to take a soft stance on implementing the treaty.

His words: “To demonstrate that heightened transparency and that no member of the Nigerian delegation had any conflict of interest that might influence their position on the treaty talks, Health Minister, Dr. Ehanire compelled them to sign a mandatory declaration of interest form and insisted this would be the practice henceforth. This is unprecedented.”