Is President Olusegun Obasanjo's proposed National Dialogue the way forward for Nigeria?
'Ratify Framework on Tobacco Control'
By Godwin Haruna, 12.13.2004
Lagos
The Federal Government has been advised to ratify the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which it signed in June this year. The FCTC, a multi-sectoral international law for the control of tobacco manufacturing, marketing and distribution, has received worldwide support since its adoption. Making the call at the weekend, Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi, programme Manager, Environ-mental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FOEN), said Peru had become the 40th country to ratify the treaty on November 30. According to the convention's implementation provisions, the FCTC becomes a binding international law on the 90th day after the 40th ratification. “Following Peru's landmark effort, the FCTC will enter into force on February 28, 2005 Oluwafemi said, adding that government should put modalities in action to ratify the treaty without further delay. "Today, the treaty has recorded the 41st ratification and the list is growing. It already has 168 signatories and that includes Nigeria. The attainment of the 40th ratification was celebrated by public health, social justice and corporate accountability crusaders across the globe. It is a great victory against intense lobby of the tobacco industry. Sadly, Nigeria, the supposed giant of Africa, failed to make it to the list of the first 40", Oluwafemi said. He, therefore, urged the executive branch of government to commence concrete steps towards ratifying the treaty in view of the damage which tobacco is wreaking on public health. He said his organisation's liaison with the National Assembly revealed that until the executive branch sends the bill on the ratification, they would have nothing to do on the matter. He criticised tobacco companies for devising diabolical advertising approaches to lure youth into smoking. He said tobacco kills 4.9 million people yearly, adding: "It causes close to 44 different diseases brings poverty to the people, to the nation and to the global economy. The FCTC has presented an opportunity for Nigeria to avert a looming epidemic". Oluwafemi charged government on a four-pronged strategy: prompt ratification of FCTC, comprehensive review of the Tobacco Smoking (Control) Act, establishment of a multi-sectoral National Committee on Tobacco Control (NCTC), and a clear policy of insulating public health policies from the tobacco industry's influence.
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