Mr Sebastian Mawuli Hotor, the Upper East Regional Head of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has appealed to traditional leaders in the region to substitute tobacco use in marriage rites with money.
That, he said would reduce the risk factors related to the consumption of tobacco in the region and the country as a whole.
Speaking to journalists on the side-line of a two-day workshop organized by the FDA, Mr Hotor said tobacco use posed threat to the health of users.
He indicated that his outfit had worked with traditional authorities in the region to bring out alternative prenuptial dowry payment in place of tobacco so that it could be substituted for money, which he said was a better option.
“We have been working with the traditional authorities here, since last year to try and bring an alternative prenuptial dowry payment in place of tobacco, so that it is substituted for money or something else. So far, we are getting positive responses.
“They are discussing it and talking to the traditional people. The outcome is positive, even the people are seeing the money as a better option to tobacco,” he said.
Mr Hotor was hopeful that in the near future, the production and consumption of tobacco would be abolished and the demand and production for tobacco would reduce.
“We hope and pray that in the nearest future, it will be abolished and will not encourage people to have a market and demand for cultivation of tobacco and the use of tobacco and would, therefore, help in the fight against illicit trade,” the Regional Head said.
The workshop was supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Secretariat under the FCTC project 2030.
Dr. Alex Kombat, Assistant Commissioner in charge of Policy and Research at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), noted that illicit tobacco trade in the Region was of concern to his outfit.
He said the trade had negative impact on the economy and revenue mobilization, and called on stakeholders to join forces with the security agencies to fight the dealers of the illicit trader in the county.
Dr Kombat urged members of the public to download the GRA authenticator App to enable verify registered and non-registered products in the market.
Source: mywordfmonline.com/ Gaspard Ayuureneeya