ABUJA – A bill seeking to regulate and control production of tobacco in Nigeria on Wednesday passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill also seeks to regulate and control the sale, advertising promotion and sponsorship of tobacco in the country.
Leading debate on the general principle of the bill, the Majority Leader, Rep. Mulitkat Akande-Adeola, said that the bill if passed would reduce the rate of health challenges connected to tobacco.
Akande-Adeola said that the passage of the bill would also tackle the issue of tobacco addiction among the youth.
She argued that tobacco had been known for its harmful effect on health, adding that its regulation was therefore a necessity.
The leader enumerated the adverse effect of tobacco to include, diseases such as tuberculosis, miscarriages, tooth decay and other form of incurable diseases.
Rep. Leo Ogor (PDP-Delta) said the harmful effect of tobacco intake could not be over-emphasied, adding that “it is a known fact that the health of a nation is the wealth of a nation’’. [eap_ad_1] “We all know how harmful tobacco is to our health as well as its harmful challenges to us as a nation; tobacco has been known to be an instrument of death to people.
“The essence of the bill is to bring what is happening in our country to be in conformity with other international laws,’’ he said.
He argued that the harmful effect of tobacco was a global knowledge that people had now realised that its production and sale should be regulated.
Contributing, Reps. Eddie Mbadiwe (APC-Imo) and Sani Kalgo (PDP-Kebbi), agreed that tobacco was dangerous to the health.
The Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, referred the bill which was not opposed to the Committee on Health for more legislative input.
Also passed for second reading, was the bill for an Act to establish the Maritime University Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa-Ibom.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Robinson Uwak (PDP-Akwa-Ibom), seeks to transfer to the university, the property of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron.
The bill was referred to the Committees on Education and Marine Transport. (NAN)[eap_ad_4]
