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CSOs Want Speedy Passage Of Tobacco Bill

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11 years ago

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Some civil society
organisations have urged the National Assembly to accelerate the passage of Nigeria National Tobacco Control Bill (NNTCB) before it.
The groups in separate interviews with newsmen in Abuja said that non passage of the bill violated the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) which Nigeria signed in 2004.
The bill, which had been before the Assembly, had yet to reach the third reading stage under the present assembly.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia says, “In Nigeria, the anti-tobacco communities are at the forefront of ensuring smoke-free public places.
“The Nigeria National Tobacco Control Bill is a comprehensive law when passed will regulate the manufacturing, advertising distribution and consumption of tobacco products in Nigeria.
“It is a bill that is aimed at domesticating the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) because Nigeria is a party to that international convention.
“The key highlights of the bill are prohibition of smoking in public places; to include restaurant and bar, public transportation, schools and hospitals.”
The West Africa Sub-Regional Coordinator, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Mrs Hilda Ochefu, urged the parliamentarians to be resolute in ensuring early passage of the bill.
She said that Nigeria had already breached an international convention which it signed and ratified.
Ochefu said that the situation was bad for the nation’s healthcare delivery index.
“This bill aims to reverse an epidemic today that claims the life of one in 10 adults, especially in developing societies like ours.
“Smokers pollute our environment and put us non-smokers at risk as well.
“We will expect nothing short of accelerated passage of the NNTCB to safeguard our lives and lives of our children,” she said.
Also, the Director, Environment Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi,  said that Nigeria had lost many talented sportsmen, musicians and journalists to tobacco related illnesses.
He said that tobacco production as well as other corporate activities related to cigarette manufacturing should be regulated in the country.
“It is necessary to partner with the government on issues such as this to protect public health,” he said.
In his comment, the National Coordinator, Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), Dr Olanrewaju Oginni, said “the media is the strongest weapon to ensure that any law on tobacco smoking, regulation and control succeeds.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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7 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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8 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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8 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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