‘Assault on livelihoods of Nigerians’ — CSOs protest in Abuja over ban of alcohol in sachets

Some civil society groups on Wednesday staged a protest in Abuja, the nation’s capital, against the ban of sachet alcoholic drinks.

On Monday, the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) banned the production of alcohol in sachets and pet bottles of less than 200ml.

Kazeem Adeniran, NAFDAC assistant chief regulation officer, investigation and enforcement, said the ban is in line with the agreement reached by a tripartite committee set up in 2018 by the federal ministry of health

The protesters, led by the Coalition Against Economic Saboteurs, also called for the immediate sack of Mojisola Adeyeye, the director-general of NAFDAC, for her “anti-people policies”.

Speaking on behalf of the groups, Kabir Mataz, one of the protesters, alleged that Adeyeye is being used by “multinationals to destroy small businesses in our local production and companies”.

He said the new policy would further pile more problems on the Nigerian economy which may lead to the eventual shutdown of the industries producing the banned products.

“Today, we address a matter of grave concern, the recent decision by the director general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control, Professor Moji Adeyeye, to ban the sale of beverages in small sachets,” Mataz said.

“We view this policy as a direct assault on the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians, a move that will not only put countless citizens out of work but also exacerbate the existing problems of insecurity and unemployment in our nation.

“We strongly condemn this ill-thought-out policy, which seems disconnected from the realities faced by the ordinary Nigerian citizens.

“NAFDAC leadership abandoned their core responsibility of focusing on issues that truly threaten the well-being of our people, such as the inflow of fake and substandard drugs, we find the director general choosing to target a sector that provides employment for many Nigerians and serves the needs of millions of families.

“Professor Moji Adeyeye’s tenure at NAFDAC has, regrettably, been marked by a series of disappointments and failures to deliver the desired results.

“Rather than ensuring the safety of our food and drugs, we have witnessed a surge in counterfeit beverages, creating a pervasive doubt about the authenticity of what our citizens consume.”