Lawmakers seek better deal for tobacco communities

The Guardian (Nigeria)

Wednesday, March 10 2004

Federal lawmakers representing the tobacco-growing communities of Oyo Sate have urged the British America Tobacco (BAT) company to raise the standard of living of the people who are directly affected by the firm's operations. They made the call at the National Assembly, Abuja, when they met with the officials of the company. The meeting, which was at the instance of the legislators, was to discuss common areas of interest between the giant tobacco company and the communities that the legislators represent and who supply a major percentage of the tobacco used by the Ibadan-based cigarette manufacturing company.

Present at the meeting were the following lawmakers: Dr. Wale Okediran (Iseyin,Itesiwaju, Kajola, Iwajowa Federal Constituency), P.A. Adeniran (Irepo, Olorunsogo and Orelope) Ade Adegbenjo (Ibarapa North) and Jimoh Tijani (Atisobo, Saki West and East). Also in attendance was the Chairman, House Sub-committee on Public Health, G.D Dantong and an anti-tobacco activist, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi of the Environmental Rights Action (ERA). Representing the company were Mr. Tony Okwonji, the Public Affairs Manager as well as Mr. Lawal Aliyu, government and regulatory affairs manager.

In their presentation, the legislators observed that their constituents had been inundating them with complaints on exploitation and inhuman treatment by BAT officials.

The tobacco farmers complained that BAT had been purchasing tobacco leaves from them at ridiculous prices, which had not been reviewed in the last four years. Only last January, several youths that were hired by the company to plant tobacco leaves protested against what they termed the exploitatory tendencies of the company and threatened to physically attack the officials. Also offending was the process of drying the tobacco leaves, an activity, which involves a lot of deforestation due to their search for firewood. This is apart from the noxious smell from the tobacco leaves, which is harmful to the health of the farmers.

Other complaints highlighted by the legislators were;

the gradual damage done to the soil by tobacco cultivation which makes the soil unsuitable for other crops;

the decline in the cultivation of other suitable cash and food crops by farmers who have now concentrated on tobacco arming;

the rapid deforestation of the area even though BAT claims that it is trying to replace the felled trees through the establishment of a plantation in Ieyi;

the unwritten code between BAT and the farmers who are not allowed to speak to journalists and "foreigners", and

the use of community leaders who have been induced to support the company in its activities against the people.

In their own response, BAT officials denied ever asking the farmers not to speak to the press either had they bought off the community leaders as being alleged. They also expressed their readiness to address, among others, the issue of poor pricing of tobacco leaves as raised by the farmers.

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