ATIM Engages Sierra Leone’s Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security During BETA 3.0 Training in Nigeria

During the ATIM BETA 3.0 Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Response (TIMR) training in Lagos, Nigeria, the Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research (ATIM), together with its local partner, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), held a high-level engagement with Sierra Leone’s Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mr. Mohamed Rahman Swaray, to discuss the implementation of Sierra Leone’s Tobacco and Nicotine Control Act, 2022, and strategies for strengthening the country’s response to tobacco industry interference.

The meeting, which took place alongside the regional training program, was facilitated by ATIM participants from Sierra Leone representing Youth in Action for Development, Democracy and Human Rights (YADDHR-SL). It provided an opportunity to exchange experiences on the implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), which requires governments to protect public health policies from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry.

During the discussion, ATIM underscored the importance of fully implementing the Tobacco and Nicotine Control Act, 2022, noting that effective legislation delivers public health benefits only when supported by robust implementation and protection from tobacco industry interference. In response, the Minister expressed his commitment to advancing implementation of the Act and invited ATIM to support national capacity-building efforts aimed at addressing tobacco industry narratives that can delay or weaken implementation.

Discussions also explored concerns frequently raised regarding the potential employment impact of tobacco control measures. ATIM shared evidence that industry estimates often overstate employment effects by counting jobs indirectly supported across the wider supply chain rather than those directly employed by tobacco manufacturers. The discussion highlighted that reduced tobacco consumption is accompanied by increased spending on other goods and services, supporting employment in healthier sectors of the economy. The Minister welcomed this perspective as an important consideration for future policy discussions.

ATIM commends Sierra Leone’s leadership and its commitment to implementing measures that protect public health from tobacco industry influence. The Centre also acknowledges the Sierra Leone delegation for facilitating this engagement. The engagement illustrates how ATIM’s regional capacity-building program creates opportunities for evidence-informed dialogue with policymakers, helping translate research and technical expertise into stronger tobacco control implementation across Africa.

Read the full news report published by Sierra Leone for more details on the meeting and its outcomes:https://sierraloaded.sl/news/sierra-leone-tobacco-industry-interference/