Continuous delay in operationalization of tobacco control fund self- injury NTCA to FG

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA)said federal government Continuous delay in operationalization of tobacco control fund is a tantamount self- injury on the government’s revenue.

The Alliance made this known yesterday in Abuja during a press briefing demanding for the operationalization of the tobacco fund.
Speaking at event , Chairman, NTCA , Akinbode Oluwafemi said the continuous delay in operationalization of tobacco fund, has made Nigeria to lost a lot of funds that should accrue to it through licensing of tobacco industry players .
“This is one of the dangers of having the tobacco control fund fully operational”.
He said the unavailability of an operational account for the payment of licensing fees makes the operations of tobacco manufacturers, importers and distributors in the country illegal, as the companies have no licenses to back their operations.

Oluwafemi recalled that on the Tuesday 28th of June during the ministerial press briefing to commemorate 2022 world no tobacco day, the minister of health through the permanent secretary who was represented by National coordinator, non-communicable disease division made an important promise.
“The ministry promised to make the tobacco control fund fully operational within one month”.

He maintained that,”we have watched and waited patiently to allow the ministry enough latitude to make good their promises
“We are not longer at ease it now over two months since the ministry made the pledge without any sign of fulfillment”.
He noted that, it is not a secret that tobacco activities in the country are grossly underfunded and this ugly delay negatively impacts important tobacco control work .
He urged the federal ministry of health as the primary executor of national tobacco control act must step up to its responsibilities and make the tobacco control fund fully operational as soon as possible.
The Pogramme Officer NTCA, Chibuikem Nwokorie called on governments at all level do all that is necessary to sort all fund.
He said governments has lost huge amount of money from 2019-2022 since the act was signed.
“ Lack of the operationalization of the tobacco fund has made tobacco industry to dangling with all sort of things”.

Nwokorie also insisted that lack of the operationalization of the fund is dangerous delay and it must stop .
A Technical Consultant, Tobacco Policy Action Fund for Africa,
Peter Unekwu-Ojo, urged the media to join the NTCA in the tobacco control campaign, to make fund fully operational in the country.
Meanwhile, a Research Associate with the Centre for the Study of the Economics of Africa,
Austine Iraoya,said the Federal Government should increase 30 per cent tax on tobacco to 70 per cent to meet WHO standard.