Leaders from West Nile region have condemned tobacco companies for what they termed as exploitation of farmers in the area.

The leaders including Wadri Sam, Okumu Robert and Hasan Nyenya claimed the company is only mindful of their product and not the wellbeing of the tobacco farmers .

They further argued that despite having many farmers engaged in the growing of tobacco, many such farmers cannot grow food , which exposes them to hunger and poverty.

The leaders who were meeting in Kampala yesterday called on Mps to push for the passing of the anti Tobacco Bill that will further regulate the activities of tobacco companies, especially BAT (British America Tobacco.

However responding to their concerns the company’s MD Jonathan D souza who attended the meeting dismissed their claims says that BAT has engaged in a number of initiatives like giving them loans to support the farmers.

He further notes that farming tobacco is commercial product and all those who engage in it do it voluntarily.

Meanwhile Ayivu mp Bernard Atiku  said that as leaders in west nile resolved to encourage their people to embrace other crops besides tobacco .

He said that people in west Nile have been growing the product for the last 50 have not benefited from it.

He said that they agreed that people should now consider planting other cash crops  ,because they have been exploited for long by the BAT,