“NAFDAC, Let Us Breathe” LU Protests Ban On Sachet Alcohols

Yesterday, Feb. 6, organised labour stormed the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, or NAFDAC, to protest the ban and closure of production lines for companies producing alcoholic beverages in sachets and small bottles under 200ml.

Labour, led by leaders of Nigeria’s Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the National Union of Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), has rejected the Federal Government’s ban on the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small bottles, claiming that no fewer than 45,000 jobs and billions of Naira investments are at risk.

The protesting workers, who stormed NAFDAC’s office at Plot 1, Industrial Estate, Apapa-Oshodi motorway, Isolo, Lagos State, held placards with varied inscriptions to show their displeasure.

“NAFDAC, let us breathe,” one placard reads.

“Most of our jobs are at stake,” Olamide Somefun, Vice Chairman, Food Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association, Ota, Ogun State, said. “Many companies will fold up, especially those local industries that serve as raw materials to the producers.”

The protest comes after NAFDAC, led by director-general Mojisola Adeyeye, declared that the ban will be enforced on February 1st, 2024.

Read Also: NAFDAC Bans Alcoholic Beverages In Small Sachets

In 2019, the government issued a five-year phase-out notice, with the goal of totally eliminating these small-sized alcoholic beverages due to concerns about their accessibility to minors.

“The drinks come in pocket-friendly sizes, accessible and affordable,” Prof. Adeyeye explained at a press conference in Abuja. “Children easily fall for the packages, only to face the consequences in the future.”

However, NUFBTE members expressed their worries about the economic repercussions of the ban. “This is not just about our jobs,” another protester told local media. “It’s about the livelihoods of many families who depend on these industries.”

A multi-agency group decided on the ban in 2018, which outlined a gradual reduction in output before a complete phase-out in 2024. NAFDAC highlighted that they followed the agreed-upon timetable and did not renew any licences for banned products after January 2024.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli