Emmanuel OchayiIn a move that has sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s beverage industry, the ban on sachet alcohol by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has drawn sharp criticism from the Food Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FBTSSA) and the National Union of Food Beverages and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE).
The unions have raised alarm bells, warning that this regulatory crackdown places approximately 500,000 jobs at grave risk.
In a joint press release issued on Tuesday, representatives from FBTSSA and NUFBTE expressed deep concern over the potential fallout from the ban.
“This singular action (the ban) has sent over 500,000 breadwinners out of jobs and into the oversaturated Nigerian labour market,” the unions lamented.
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The outcry against the ban culminated in a protest staged by members of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DBAN) outside NAFDAC’s headquarters in Oshodi, Lagos. Idogen Emmanuel, Vice Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the Trade Union Congress, minced no words in articulating the industry’s grievances during the demonstration.
He lambasted NAFDAC’s decision as detrimental to the already strained workforce and urged for a reconsideration of the ban.
“Last Thursday, NAFDAC moved to go and seal up all our companies producing sachet drinks, forgetting that the economy is so tense and harsh, and they want to throw millions of persons back into the labor market,” Emmanuel stated passionately. “We are appealing to NAFDAC to reopen these companies so that we can come to a round table and look for a way forward.”
The ban on sachet alcohol represents a significant departure from previous regulatory practices and underscores the government’s determination to tackle alcohol consumption in easily accessible formats.
While NAFDAC cites concerns over underage drinking as a primary motivation behind the ban, industry stakeholders argue that targeted measures to educate retailers and wholesalers could be more effective in addressing this issue without jeopardizing hundreds of thousands of livelihoods.
As NAFDAC moves forward with the enforcement of the ban, the standoff between regulatory authorities and industry players is likely to intensify, with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s economy and social fabric.
In an already challenging economic landscape, finding a balanced approach that prioritizes public health concerns while safeguarding jobs remains a pressing imperative for all stakeholders involved.
