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From Paul Orude, Bauchi
Two key ministries in the Bauchi State Government have pledged to partner with the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), a non-governmental organisation, to create an enabling framework for stronger control and regulation of tobacco use in the state to safeguard public health.
The two ministries—Health and Social Welfare, and Housing and Environment—vowed to mobilise all relevant departments and agencies under them to ensure the success of the partnership aimed at curbing tobacco consumption in the state.
Making a strong commitment, the Commissioner for Housing and Environment, Hon. Danlami Kawule, gave his assurance during a subnational advocacy visit by CISLAC to his office in Bauchi on Wednesday.
Kawule, who thanked CISLAC for the advocacy visit, lamented the environmental hazards of public smoking and promised to collaborate with the organisation to regulate it.
The Commissioner, a former Deputy Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, emphasised that effective regulation and control can only be achieved through a proper legislative framework.
He proposed the organisation of a public hearing to mobilise stakeholders ranging from traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, to relevant government agencies to deliberate on the issue and push for legislation that would empower the state to proceed with implementation.
Earlier, during a similar visit to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Commissioner Dr. Sani Mohammed Dambam expressed concern over the dangers that tobacco smoking poses to individual and public health and pledged to work with CISLAC.
Dambam, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dauda Yakubu Mahmoud, along with senior management staff, appreciated the advocacy visit by CISLAC and promised collaboration to address tobacco consumption in the state.
Speaking on the purpose of the subnational advocacy to the two ministries, Solomon Adoga, Senior Programme Officer of CISLAC, explained that the visit aimed to engage government stakeholders on tobacco control initiatives.
“For some time now, we have been implementing the Tobacco Tax in Africa Project in Nigeria,” he said.
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“It is a project supported by Tax Justice Africa under the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with the overall objective of reducing the affordability of tobacco products through tobacco tax reform.”
Adoga added that while the initiative has achieved results at the national level, it is equally important for states to key into such efforts.
“We have been working with civil society organisations to see how state-level efforts can also drive the reduction of tobacco affordability.
“This engagement is part of our strategy to ensure that government agencies play their roles in implementing tobacco control regulations that can significantly reduce tobacco consumption in Bauchi State.”
Adoga, who was accompanied by CISLAC’s Senior Finance and Administration Officer, Mohammed Murtala, said the response of the two ministries was encouraging.
“First, we received strong commitment from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, which is well aware of the health dangers associated with tobacco use,” he said.
“We also got a good level of commitment from the Ministry of Housing and Environment.
“The commitments centred on the need for inter-agency collaboration and the establishment of a strong regulatory framework.
“The Commissioner for Environment also emphasised the importance of convening a public hearing that brings together stakeholders including traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, and relevant agencies to deliberate on how Bauchi State can move forward with effective tobacco control.”
