More Protests Against Ban of Sachet Alcohol as Workers Storm NAFDAC Office
- Alcohol factory workers, under the aegis of FOBTOB, protested at NAFDAC’s Lagos office over the enforcement of the sachet alcohol ban
- The union claimed there was a joint Federal Government directive to suspend enforcement pending policy implementation
- A clarification from the SGF’s office indicated that enforcement actions should be paused until the National Alcohol Policy is fully operational
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
Members of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) on Thursday sustained their protest against the sachet alcohol ban, barricading the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) over its enforcement actions.
Source: Getty Images
The union accused NAFDAC of failing to comply with what it described as joint directives from the federal government to suspend enforcement pending the full implementation of the National Alcohol Policy, The Cable reported.
However, NAFDAC dismissed the claim, stating that reports suggesting it had been directed to halt enforcement were unverified and amounted to misinformation. The agency maintained that it had not received any formal instruction to suspend its regulatory activities and reiterated its commitment to safeguarding public health.
Union raises job loss concerns
Addressing the protesters, FOBTOB’s National Vice President (West), Kolawole Buhari, warned that the continued sealing of factories and depots could have significant consequences for employment across the value chain.
According to him, about 5.5 million jobs could be affected if enforcement measures persist. Buhari argued that the action contradicts the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, noting that job losses could worsen social challenges the government aims to address.
Similarly, the union’s National Deputy President, Lanre Yusuf, said the position of the NAFDAC Director-General was inconsistent with the federal government’s stance. He claimed that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) had issued a joint directive advising that enforcement be paused.
Yusuf called for the immediate reopening of all factories and depots sealed in the course of the regulatory exercise.
Source: Getty Images
Government clarification on alcohol policy
The dispute follows a clarification by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF. According to him, although the National Alcohol Policy was approved by the Federal Ministry of Health under the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, enforcement actions such as sealing factories should be placed on hold until the policy is fully operational.
NAFDAC, however, insists that without a formal communication directing it to suspend enforcement, it will continue to carry out its statutory responsibilities.
FG suspends implementation of alcohol ban
Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government directed NAFDAC to suspend all enforcement activities related to the ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic drinks.
The directive, as conveyed by the office of the SGF, instructed the agency to immediately stop sealing factories and warehouses over the matter.
Although the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health in line with President Tinubu’s directive, the SGF’s office and the NSA insisted that NAFDAC must refrain from enforcement until further instructions are issued.
Source: Legit.ng
