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| CISLAC advocacy team in the office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Gombe State, Babayo Hassan Abubakar. |
By Williams Ago, Gombe
Gombe State plans to prohibit any business activity involving tobacco products at the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park. The state's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism announced this decision after a visit from the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).
This move aims to create a tobacco-free environment within the industrial park, which is a multi-billion naira project. The state government is committed to fostering a business-friendly and health-conscious atmosphere at the industrial park.
The State Ministry of Justice has similarly made a commitment towards controlling the consumption and usage of tobacco products using legal framework.
Both Ministries pledged to swing into action as soon as modalities are put in place towards controlling tobacco consumption for the sake of public health and mutual benefits through taxation.
The Commissioners who were represented by their Permanent Secretaries during the advocacy visit, said that the commitment is borne out of the need to create a safe environment for the people.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Babayo Hassan Abubakar, expressed his belief to the CISLAC team that a lot can be achieved from the partnership, especially for the benefit of the youths and children.
He explained that the coming of CISLAC was more of a wake up call on the role the ministry can play in tobacco control measures using its regulatory mandate of business in the State.
At the Ministry of Justice, the Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Isma'il Hina, explained the readiness of the ministry to move into action as soon as it receives directives from any of the line ministries such as Health, Environment, Trade and Industry.
Earlier, Solomon Adoga and Murtala Mohammed, Senior Programmes Officers in CISLAC, outlined the need for the collaborative approach on ways of making tobacco products less accessible and affordable as well as making gains through increased taxes making it a win-win situation.
According to Adoga, tobacco products are cheapest in Nigeria, making it very accessible and affordable and that is the reason why even children go for it. He stressed however that higher taxation at the State level will make it less attractive.
CISLAC has been in the forefront of the campaign on tobacco control measures in Gombe State and so far, it's advocacy has taken it to the State Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Health as well as Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism. The advocacy visit to the Ministry of Justice was the second time.
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