The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) has called on the government of Nigeria to effectively implement the graphic health warnings policy implementation in Nigeria. This call was made today in Abuja in a press briefing addressed by Akinbode Oluwafemi, the chairman of the NTCA.

Akinbode noted that the tobacco industry is dragging its foot in complying with the Nigerian laws in order to weaken the effectiveness of the policy. He said, ‘the profit-centered tobacco industry producing, importing and distributing these tobacco products is foot-dragging to weaken this policy because it knows that graphic health warnings reduce the number of people who start smoking, just as it encourages current smokers to quit.’

In his address, he described the level of fatality recorded in Nigeria quoting a report by the Centre for the Studies of Economies of Africa, CSEA. Saying the 28,000 deaths will only rise significantly if the government allows the current trends to continue.

With the proliferation of other products without any form of graphic health warnings, Chibuike Nwokorie lamented the complete disregard for the provisions of the law. He described the efforts of the members of the Alliance in monitoring the level of compliance, with products like shisha and other new tobacco products evading the law despite serious health implications.

Michael Olaniyan (Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, CTFK) described the level of compliance on new products as unacceptable but declined to mention names of erring organisations as this will amount to endorsement and subtle advertisement of such dangerous.

The Alliance, however urged the ‘Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant government enforcement and regulatory agencies to ensure the effective implementation of graphic health warnings on all tobacco products as an important step in reducing the side effects of tobacco use and protecting the health of Nigerians.’