By Patrick Wemambu
Civil society group under the aegis of Young Nigeria Women in Leadership, has admonished President Bola Tinubu to rein in on the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, over the ban of sachet alcoholic beverages.
Addressing journalists at the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Coordinator of the group, Patience Ojochegbe Abimaje, criticised NAFDAC’s enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol and alcoholic beverages packaged in 200ml PET bottles.
Abimaje alleged that the agency’s action contradicts existing government policies and directives, including resolutions of the House of Representatives and ongoing consultations involving stakeholders in the alcohol industry.
She warned that continued enforcement of the ban could negatively affect businesses, threaten jobs across the alcohol value chain, reduce government revenue, and trigger social unrest among affected operators and consumers.
According to her, the ban would disproportionately impact low-income consumers who rely on smaller and more affordable alcoholic beverage packages, while potentially creating opportunities for the proliferation of illicit and unregulated products.
The group also disputed claims that sachet alcohol products encourage abuse among minors, arguing that industry stakeholders have invested heavily in awareness campaigns promoting responsible alcohol consumption and restricting underage access.
While expressing support for efforts to remove unsafe products from the market, Abimaje maintained that regulatory decisions should be based on verifiable evidence and stakeholder engagement.
