Ghana: Illicit tobacco trade persist despite nation’s commitment to WHO FCTC Protocol
In a presentation at the National Stakeholders Meeting on Tobacco Control, Dr. Arti Singh, a researcher from the School of Public Health at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, revealed the persistent challenges of Illicit Tobacco Trade (ITT) in Ghana, despite the nation’s commitment to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Protocol.
Global Trends
Globally, 10% of all cigarettes consumed are illicit, with a disproportionately higher prevalence in low and middle-income countries.
Dr. Singh’s research underscores this stark reality, with low-income countries grappling with a 16.8% share of illicit cigarettes and middle-income countries at 11.8%, surpassing the 9.8% figure in high-income nations.
Struggles in Implementation
Despite Ghana’s pledge to the WHO FCTC Protocol, Dr. Singh highlighted the ongoing struggles in implementing effective measures, echoing challenges faced by other nations in a similar economic bracket.
Impact on Ghana’s Tobacco Market
Data from Euromonitor exposed a concerning surge in illicit cigarette trade in Ghana, accounting for 39% of total cigarette volume sales in 2018, up from 35% in 2017.
Dr. Singh in her presentation emphasized the human toll, revealing that over 6,700 Ghanaians lose their lives annually due to tobacco-related illnesses, constituting 3% of the country’s total deaths.
Determinants of Illicit Trade
Dr. Singh pointed to systemic issues such as ineffective governance, corruption, political instability, organized crime, and weak law enforcement as key determinants of the illicit tobacco trade.
Adding that, weak customs governance, insufficient technology, tools, and manpower further exacerbate the problem.
Policy Impact
While tobacco control policies like higher taxes and smoke-free regulations have proven effective, Dr. Singh noted that the illicit tobacco trade remains high in countries with lower cigarette prices and tax rates.
Key Research Findings
Dr. Singh presented notable findings from her research, revealing that 20% of collected cigarette packs were illicit.
Provision stores had 3.5 times higher odds of illicit sales compared to drinking bars, and border towns exhibited a staggering 67.2 times higher odds of illicit sales than non-border towns.
Origin of Illicit Packs
The majority of illicit tobacco packs in Ghana were traced back to Togo (47%), followed by Nigeria (14%), with packs intended for sale in Ghana constituting about 7% of the illicit packs collected.
Recommendations for Control
Dr. Singh concluded with a set of comprehensive recommendations for controlling illicit tobacco trade in Ghana, including the implementation of the illicit tobacco protocol, country-specific data collection, information sharing, efficient tracking systems, capacity building for enforcement officers, and increased resources for border control.
In light of Dr. Singh’s findings, Ghana faces a pressing need for stringent measures and international collaboration to combat the illicit tobacco trade, safeguard public health, and honor its commitment to global protocols.
