According to World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco dey cause more than 8 million deaths annually across the world. Over 7 million of those deaths na as a result of direct tobacco use, and about 1.2m come from non-smokers wey dey expose to second-hand smoke.
Oluwafemi don talk say, if the nation health and well-being of citizens go better, the tobacco control system need to come first for the country.
“Beyond the fact say monies dey wey dem no dey release am, I think say from the little information we get, the idea na say we go get a pool of CSOs wey go specifically ask for increased budgetary allocation to tobacco control.
“On one side, dem go continue to dey look at how we go fit get more of that revenue. We get information say the increase of taxes for this year on tobacco control don hold our control.
“So, the increase wey we dey anticipate for this year don dey hold. For me, na if we no dey very careful, the taxes wey we get fit suspend and we need as a group, monitor the budgetary allocation to this sector,” Oluwafemi talk.
Dr Bako Deborah, the National Coordinator of Non-communicable Diseases division of the alliance wey talk earlier, come talk say e important to make una know say funding na major provision of the NTC Act.
Section 8 of the Act, wey be Tobacco Control Fund, go use the money take fund tobacco control activities programs and projects. Bako, wey be head of Tobacco Control Unit, Dr. Malau Toma come talk say, to effectively control tobacco and tobacco products for Naija, funding na critical component.
She talk say, “The WHO FCTC recognize am, and dem stipulate for Article 26 say ‘Parties go provide financial support in respect of its national activities intended to achieve the objective of the Convention, following its national plans, priorities, and programs."