Energy and Extractives

Corporate Accountability and Environmental Health

WNTD ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA

friday 6th june 2008

This year's World No Tobacco Day was the biggest ever in Nigeria. It all started with a "Tobacco and Health" seminar held at the Gateway Parish of the Redeem Church of God. Days later, the anti-tobacco momentum moved to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the historic rally and declaration of the ban of smoking in public places. On the heels of all these was the press briefing by the Health Minister, Dr. Hassan Lawal.

Tobacco Control Gets Church Endorsement
It was a big endorsement for tobacco control in Nigeria with a seminar organised on May 25, 2008 by a Parish of the largest church in the country, the Redeemed Christian Church of God(RCCG). The church is also said to be the fastest growing Church in the world with presence in over 200 countries. The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) in collaboration with Doctors Against Tobacco Nigeria(DATN), used the seminar to create awareness about efforts at domesticating the FCTC and to get the support of the religious body for the effort. Religious leaders are vital to policy issues in Nigeria. They have long played a critical role in addressing the nation's declining morals and social challenges, especially in helping to focus government's attention on critical areas of development that includes public health . Thus, supporting effort to reduce tobacco use, the leading preventable cause of disease and death around the world , is a natural extension of these efforts. In Nigeria, the faith-based communities are a powerful force in reaching the policy makers as well as mobilizing action in reducing the terrible toll of tobacco, if fully exploited. And with the success of this pilot project, the Alliance is scaling up efforts to get more faith-based organisations and institutions from the two major religions (Moslem and Christianity) to be more involved in tobacco control activities. Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, led the team that includes Dr. Lanrewaju Onigbogi from Doctors Against Tobacco Nigeria, Mr. Adeola Akinremi of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance among others.

ABUJA GOES SMOKE FREE
On January 14, 2008, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory , Alhaji Aliyu Umar Modibo made a public declaration that his administration would begin enforcement of the ban in Public Places from June 1. Prior to the June 1 deadline, an implementation committee was constituted. On the committee are two representatives of the civil society. The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) is represented by Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi and Ms. Toyosi Onaolapo is representing the Coalition Against Tobacco (CAT). The committee mapped out a number of activities to flag off the commencement of the enforcement of the ban. Creating Public Awareness on the Enforcement of Smoke-Free Public Places To create awareness about the enforcement of the smoking ban, a number of awareness programms were implemented this includes, jingles on radio and TV, press briefing, bill boards and live radio and TV interviews. Rally to Mark World No Tobacco Day /Declaration of Abuja Smoke Free The grand finale of the WNTD events was a three -kilometre walk and the declaration of Abuja smoke free at Eagles Square, Abuja. On may 31st. The FCT Minister defied an early morning rain to join thousands of government officials, students, tobacco control activists and residents for a three kilometres walk to create awareness about the enforcement of the ban of smoking in public places. The walk attracted tobacco control NGOs from across the country. There was active participation of members of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA); Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria , the Coalition Against Tobacco (CAT), the Tobacco Free Youths among others. The walk which took off at the famous Millennium Park Fountain ended at the Eagles Square, Nigeria's national arcade. As part of the rally, the Minister released a bunch of balloons to signify setting free of smokers in Abuja. He said: "Nigerians smoke six million sticks daily and 196 million sticks in a month. The statistics is disturbing. It is said that when a non-smoker is exposed to tobacco smoke for two hours, it is like he or she had smoked four sticks. Shall we continue to endanger our lives and those of others?" The rally at Eagles Square was laced with spectacles that includes cultural displays, and the symbolic driving out of Eagles Square of a giant cigarette mounted on a heavy duty truck. This part of the rally was to symbolise the driving out cigarette from the Federal Capital. In his speech, Programme Manager ERA/FOEN and National Coordinator, NTCA, Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi congratulated the Minister for taking side with public health. He pledged the continued collaboration of the Nigerian tobacco community in ensuring that the ban on smoking in public places is effectively implemented. Press Briefing by the Health Minister The final crown of this years WNTD events was a press briefing on June 3rd by the Health Minister, Hassan Lawal The minister used the press briefing to speak on the efforts to domesticate the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and urged other public officers to support his ministry in his efforts. Dr. Lola Sadiq of WHO urged the Nigerian government to initiate legislations to completely ban tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion. Some Media Reports Sunday May 25, 2008:
In Abuja, its now pay as you puff, The Guardian Newspaper http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article18//indexn3_html?pdate=250508&ptitle=In%20Abuja,%20It's%20Now%20'Pay%20As%20You%20Puff'&cpdate=250508 Friday May 30,
Live interview, Kaakaki Africa Independent Television (AIT) Saturday May 31, 2008: Nigeria celebrates World No Tobacco Day…FCT Bans Public Smoking, Metro FM News 7 am Saturday May 31, 2008:Nigeria marks World No-Tobacco Day, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria News, 7am Saturday May 31, 2008: FCT bans public smoking in Abuja, 8 pm, Channels TV Saturday May 31,2008 ; Health News Channels TV Sunday June 1, 2008: Why FCT banned tobacco smoking –Moddibo Tribune Newspaper http://www.tribune.com.ng/01062008/news/news15.html Sunday June 1, 2008: Why FCT banned tobacco smoking in FCT- Modibbo, Daily Trust Newspaper http://www.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11984&Itemid=30 Monday June 2, 2008: Smoking ban: Abuja residents dare minister…You'll fail, front page, Daily Champion www.champion-newspapers.com Monday June 2: This Day photo of FCT Minister setting releasing balloons pg 11 Monday June 2, The Nation, photo of rally, frontpage Tuesday June 3, 2008: Should Smoking be banned in public? Discourse on Chat Street, Silverbird Television, 2:30pm Wednesday June 4, 2008: Minister advocates Enforcement of Tobacco Ban, Leadership Newspaper http://allafrica.com/stories/200806040269.html Wednesday June 4, 2008: Nigeria: Against Smoking, Leadership Newspaper http://allafrica.com/stories/200806040287.html Wednesday June 4, 2008: Nigeria: WHO hails ban on smoking http://allafrica.com/stories/200806040277.html

Wednesday June 4, 2008
: How govt officials aid smoking, by Minister, backpage Guardian Newspaper visit guardiannewsngr

Wednesday June 4, NTA network
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Food Sovereignty

Africa is facing today the challenge of the introduction of GM (genetically modified) crops and GM food aid. The pressure has stepped up in recent years on African countries, and our Governments are being strongly lobbied to accept the tools of modern biotechnology to purportedly solve poverty, hunger and malnutrition. GM cotton and experimental crops such as GM sweet potato and cassava are being portrayed as important crops to tackle poverty and hunger in the continent.

The environmental network Friends of the Earth (FoE) in Africa opposes the introduction of GMOs as it will constitute a threat to African biodiversity and the continent’s food sovereignty, and will make nothing to help Africa tackling poverty and hunger. In Nigeria, Togo, Cameroon, Ghana, Mauritius, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Swaziland the local chapters of FoE are campaigning for a moratorium on the introduction of GM crops in the environment.
In 2004, FoE African groups officially created an African Regional Campaign on GMOs to better coordinate all regional activities on this issue. ERA-FoE Nigeria was elected as regional coordinator for the Campaign, as well as co-coordinator for the International GMO Programme of Friends of the Earth International (FoEI). Friends of the Earth groups in Africa are members of FoEI, the world's largest grassroots environmental network, uniting 71 diverse national member groups and some 5,000 local activist groups on every continent.

Democracy Outreach

Forests and Biodiversity