The demonstrators, who besieged the palace of the monarch in large numbers, condemned the move by NAFDAC, insisting that it would plunge about five million families who rely on the distillery sector for direct and indirect income into poverty.
Some employees of distillery companies on Tuesday protested against the recent ban on alcoholic drinks in sachet by the National Agency for Food Administration and Control at the palace of Olota of Ota in Ogun State.
The demonstrators, who besieged the palace of the monarch in large numbers, condemned the move by NAFDAC, insisting that it would plunge about five million families who rely on the distillery sector for direct and indirect income into poverty.
According to the workers, the ban will lead to the closure of many factories and harm the economy of Ota town, which houses many distillery companies.
A spokesperson for the protesters, Monday Ezekiel, said that coming up with a better regulatory framework will help curb alcohol abuse and save the economy rather than an outright ban as being done by NAFDAC.
Last week, NAFDAC through its Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, announced that enforcement will begin on the ban on importation, manufacture, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets, PET and bottles of 200ml and below as a result of the non-registration of such products by the agency.
Since the announcement, reactions from various stakeholders have followed, with many calling on the government agency to rescind its decision and adopt a different approach to avoid escalating the rising hardship faced by families across the country.
In the first of a series of protests, aggrieved persons under the umbrella of the Food Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association and National Union of Food Beverages and Tobacco Employees last week stormed the Lagos office of NAFDAC to register their frustration over the new policy.
Speaking during the protest on Tuesday, Ezekiel said, “The ban represents a threat to our sources of livelihood, our survival and that of our families and the economic survival of Ota town which is home to the majority of the factories producing beverage drinks of all kinds.
“The wine and spirit industry, a significant employer, directly sustains half a million jobs and indirectly supports an additional 4.5 million livelihoods.
“Also, an estimated investment worth over N800 billion would be jeopardised, while the Nigerian Government stands to lose a substantial portion of its annual revenue from excise duties valued at N600 billion.
“Therefore, if this policy is not immediately reversed, we can imagine the number of households that will be thrown into poverty because the impact will be felt significantly on the economy.”
Assuring the demonstrators of relaying their agitation to appropriate government authorities, the Ota monarch, Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege, urged NAFDAC to reconsider the move to avoid worsening the rising hardship in the country.
He called on the regulatory body to engage with wine and spirit producers to explore alternative measures targeted at addressing the issue.
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