The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids have urged the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to monitor the popular reality show, Big Brother Naija (BBN) Season 7, to be smoke-free.
The alliance made the call on Wednesday at a news conference in Abuja.
The seventh edition of Big Brother Naija begins on July 23.
The Programme Officer of NTCA, Chibuike Nwokorie, recalled that the sixth edition of the show in 2021 sparked public outrage when some participants flagrantly smoked on live television.
According to him, the development violated the National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act, 2015, on-screen smoking.
He said that this also violated the ban on Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) in the country.
The joint briefing attended by West Africa Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), Michael Olaniyan; Sub-Regional Coordinator for West Africa, CTFK, Mrs. Hilda Ochefu; Programme Officer Nigerian Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), Chibuike Nwokorie; and Executive Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the alliance had urged the NBC to act immediately when it happened.
“This year, as the programme is about to begin its seventh season, we are drawing the attention of NBC to proactively engage the show’s organisers to ensure that there is no repeat of last year’s violations.
“We wish to make it clear that should there be reluctance on the part of the regulators or the organisers to ensure a smoke-free programme, we will explore every available legal option in the interest of public health,” Nwokorie said.
He noted that entertainment programmes set the agenda for many young people because they are the eyes through which they see the world, apart from Nigeria movie industry enjoying large patronage across the world.
“We sound a note of caution to the organisers of BBN and a reminder of their responsibility towards the Nigerian population. At this time when Nigerians are hungry for quality leadership.”
“A programme with such national reach must be used to portray high-standing role models for the Nigerian people.
“At this critical time of our nationhood journey, we cannot afford to have entertainment for mere entertainment’s sake, and young and impressionable Nigerians must not be manipulated into thinking that smoking is good.
“The National Film and Video Sensors Board (NFVCB) must live up to its responsibility of ensuring that all videos made and consumed in Nigeria strictly abide by the provisions of the NTC Act,” he added.
The alliance also urged the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to monitor and sanction violators of the TAPS ban in the digital space.
They said that these should be carried out in line with Article 13 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
The alliance said that the penalties according to the NTC Act ranged from N500,000 to N5m option of fine and from six months to five years imprisonment, depending on the gravity of the violations, on each infraction.
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