Out going Health Minister Benjamin Kumbuor has revealed that the controversial Tobacco Bill is likely to be passed later in the year. This was revealed in an interview with Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoh on Wednesday. The passing of the Bill into law has been on the wish list of successive governments for many years, with frequent accusations by some stakeholders that there is no political will to pass the bill. Former Director General of the Ghana Health Service Prof Agyemang Badu Akosa had only Tuesday accused the outgoing Health Minister of not doing enough to have the bill passed. He contended, albeit subtly, that the heavy smoking habit by Benjamin Kumbuor had perhaps contributed to his lack of interest in passing the bill. He had had several discussions with him on the matter, he contended, but the Bill is still gathering dust at cabinet. But Kumbuor in reaction said Mr Akosa is engaging in needless provocation. “For some time now Prof Akosa has been involved in what I will consider as a high level of provocation because an academic of his stature should at least as a matter of minimum be able to make a distinction between the personality and policy matters,” he snapped. He confessed to having stopped his heavy smoking habit, a testimony he said is well known to all, at least to those close to him and wondered why Prof Akosa will still be using that against him. Mr Kumbuor was also agitated that the former Health Service boss will single him out as lacking political will to pass the Bill, when the Bill has been around for well over 15 years. Contrary to criticisms that nothing has been done about the Bill, Mr Kumbour who has now been reassigned to the Interior Ministry, said under his reign as substantive Health Minister in the past one and half years a lot has been done in that direction. According to him the bill has been okayed by cabinet after it was approved under the Public Health bill and it is presently at the Attorney Generals office where it will be drafted for onward submission to Parliament for ratification. He was hopeful the incoming Health Minister Yieleh Chireh will devote attention to the Bill and have it passed before the end of 2011. He said the Bill has lots of public health concern which must be taken seriously. Prof Badu Akosa later told Joy News he expects that an administrative fiat will be issued by the president to have smoking banned at all public places. He was particularly disappointed with the snail pace approach being adopted by both the erstwhile NPP and the ruling NDC governments. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana