COVID 19 Fight: Ban On All Tobacco Products And Affiliates In Ghana — CSO to Govt.

Institute of Leadership and Development (INSLA), a civil society organisation in Ghana is calling for a temporary ban on all tobacco and it’s related products in the country.

The CSO is also urging government to boldly place a temporary ban on its related products in Ghana.

“The government must place this ban until a vaccine or remedy is gotten for the COVID – 19 Pandemic in Ghana”.

Addressing a news conference Accra on Tuesday, the INSLA Programme Officer, Mr. Benjamin Anabila expressed worried about influx of donations coming in to support the fight against the deadly Corona virus in other countries.

Furthermore, Mr. Anabila urged the government to emulate other countries that took a step to ban tobacco use like South Africa.

” We only want these industries to be also concerned with the health of the people who they deal with before they think about their profits”.

He was the view that any business sensitive industry must show compassion and the health of the people.

He however, indicated that their call on government was not meant to push the tobacco industries out of business.

The tobacco industry is fully aware of the devastating consequences of its products, yet it invests heavily around the world to create a favorable environment for its business to thrive.

“None of the tobacco industries in Ghana has offered any financial or technical help to the Ghana government but it has happened in other African countries like the Ivory Coast South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.

According Mr. Anabila, the tobacco quest to divert attention of the public and those in authority from the negative image its products and actions bear has been exposed badly around the globe.

“The offering of financial donations and life-saving equipment including ventilators, hand sanitizers, face masks amongst others as some of the help been offered to governments by the tobacco industry to fight COVID – 19”, he added.