The Executive Director of Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), a civil society organisation, Musa Ali, has called for the enforcement of laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco and cigarettes to children.

Additionally, Mr Ali has urged authorities to regulate and license cigarette sellers so that dealers who flout the law will have their licences revoked and prevented from distributing or selling cigarettes.

Mr Ali made the appeal in an interview with Benjamin Akakpo on Class91.3FM’s 505 news analysis programme on Thursday, 29 March 2018.

This follows a report that showed a rising trend in the sale of sticks of cigarette to children under 18.

The survey was carried out by the African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) with support from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in partnership with other civil society groups.

It was conducted across 10 African countries including Ghana where the focal areas were Osu, Pig Farm, Nima, Alajo and Mamobi.

Mr Ali expressed concern that selling sticks of cigarette “makes tobacco affordable to the youth and other individuals with limited resources”.

The research showed that the sale of single sticks of cigarette was high among students from poor family background.

He said strict measures are needed to provide lasting solution to the problem of selling single sticks of cigarette to children as he pointed out that the sale of cigarette is also done near schools.