The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), a Civil Society Organisation, has called on the government to stop granting tobacco companies Export Expansion Grant (EEG) as they do not deserve any form of government incentives
NTCA Chairman, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said Nigeria needs food not tobacco, stating that EEG is for companies supporting exporters of manufactured goods and products not for tobacco that is destroying lives.
Oluwafemi who was represented by the Programme Manager of NTCA, Chibuike Nwakeisi, said tobacco paints a picture of economic prosperity among tobacco farmers who have invested many years growing tobacco and have continued to live in poverty.
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According to him, the United Nations said over 25 million people in Nigeria are facing hunger and globally that figure stands at over 300 million people, adding that in the face of this looming insecurity, large portions of arable lands are turning into barren wasteland from tobacco cultivation.
The group called on the government to make known the extent of tobacco farming in the country.
Oluwafemi urged the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Ministries of Health, And Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigerian Customs Service, the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Security and Defence CORPS and all the agencies saddled with the implementation of the National Tobacco Control to synergies, share information for the implementation of these laws.
From Franco Ochigbo, Abuja