Gambia youth network against Tabacco

While the world’s attention seem to be focused on diseases perceived to be more serious, most of which are in fact caught in less familiar circumstances, tabacco, with an almost equal devastating health implication, continue to take its toll on the world’s ‘most naive’ people, who, as  a result of  a manipulated desire, continue to endanger their own lives as well as the lives of millions of non-smokers.

This concern is what prompted a group of five formidable youth organisations in the Gambia to form a network against the scourge of tobacco.

Through funding from the framework convention Alliance (FCA), this network – NGO - CSO network on tobacco control in The Gambia, last Wednesday, 30 July, 2008, concluded a three-day strategic planning workshop.  With the slogan: strategic alliance and planning for tobacco free Gambia, the workshop, held at the President International Award hall, sought to validate a five year strategic plan aimed at making The Gambia a tobacco free nation.  The campaign is expected to last from 2009-2013.  

The pioneering alliance behind this daunting crusade comprises of the African Network for Information and Action Against Drugs (RAID – The Gambia); the National Youth Parliament (NYP); Youths with a Vision; National Network for Youth Development; and the International Organisation of Good Tempers (IOGT).

Dubbed NGO/CSO network - The Gambia, this alliance seeks, as a way of its mission, to become the strongest anti-tobacco alliance in a bid to maintaining a sustained and long lasting campaign against tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke in both The Gambia and the West Africa sub-region.  Its major goal is to enhance the contribution of the young people in national development.  

The 3 day validation workshop was graced by the Africa co-ordinator of the Frame work convention Alliance, Nigerian Mr Adeola Akinremi, who was upbeat about The Gambia’s chance in the global fight against the devastating effects of tobacco.

His assessment, after meeting with key stakeholders in the country, led Mr Akinremi to believe that apart from the sizeable nature of the country, which gives it an added advantage in enforcing its laws, the good relationship between the legislature and executive could be a catalyst in The Gambia’s development endeavours. ‘This government,’ he said, ‘is an action government.’

During the course of his stay in The Gambia, the Africa co-ordinator and his Gambian hosts met with the Vice President, the SOS for Health, Speaker of the National Assembly, the Inspector General of police and partners of the government. Mr Adele described his stay in The Gambia as a fruitful one, expressing optimism that the campaign would be successful.

The Framework Convention Alliance is an international NGO with an approximately 356 membership, worldwide. Its role is to help the World Health Organisation (WHO), the custodian of the Frame Work Convention on Tobacco Control (under whose auspices the frame work agreement was signed by member states) to urge member states in hastening ratification. The FCA also endeavours to ensure the full implementation of the agreement by those that have already ratified it.

Mr Sambujang Conteh, the Director of RAID - The Gambia, is the chairman of the network, and he believes that in such a crusade, the civil society has a great role to play, ‘like wise government. No one can do it all alone,’ he told participants during one of the sessions.  Mr Conteh was satisfied with the performance of the youth delegates during the workshop, noting that with the gesture of extraordinary encouragement he and his team got from the top brass of the state department of health, he was hopeful that “some day, The Gambia will be a tobacco free nation.”

Mr Yoro Baldeh of the Department of State for Health (DOSH), described the move by the network members as “a big war.”  He warned against complacency, cautioning that tobacco companies were bound to fight back in response to the initiation of such a campaign, a point ealier deliberated on by Mr Akinremi.  But as far as Mr Bah is concerned, the move by the youths is “the right step in the right direction.”

This coalition, accordingly, is the first of its kind, and it comes as the world’s economy takes a turn for the worse, making tobacco business, amongst others, as a viable resort.  Considering the number of hands involved the crusade calls for collectivity and focus; and as a matter of fact, calls for accountability and transparency were unanimous.

According to a participant from RAID - The Gambia, Mr Sheriff Minteh, 5 million people die of tobacco, globally.  This, he said, is a threat to national development, especially for the developing world.

The out come of this meeting is expected to be a guiding tool for subsequent work on tobacco, so says Maimuna Sarr of the NYP, and she was keen on calling on members to put together their strength, assuring them that they were on the right path.  She hailed the consultant, Mr Omar Nhum, for a job-well done, describing it as one of the best workshop across the country. She also urged collectivity, and called for maximum participation and co-operation.  Mr Karimu Barry of IOGT also called for collective effort at the expense of their differences, for the successful implementation of the project, which, he said, has the potential to hasten regional integration.

The chairman of the occasion, Mr Alkali Sambou, described the workshop as an important occasion in the life of the network, calling on members to take ownership of it.