On Tuesday, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Food, Beverages and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) held a peaceful protest against NAFDAC’s directive to shut down companies manufacturing alcoholic sachet drinks.

The protest took place in front of NAFDAC’s office at Plot 1, Industrial Estate, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Isolo, Lagos.

In 2018, NAFDAC issued a directive to stop the production of alcoholic beverages and drinks in sachets and bottles below 200ml starting January 31, 2024.

Also, in January 2022, NAFDAC suspended the registration of alcoholic beverages in sachets, small-volume PET, and glass bottles below 200ml.

This led to a two-day enforcement exercise recently carried out in Ota, Ogun, which led to some factories shutting down.

Vice-president of TUC Emmanuel Idogen said many people had already been rendered jobless from the factories shut down by the regulatory agency.

Mr Idogen said though he was not against NAFDAC carrying out their duty, to shut down the livelihood of thousands of people at a time of economic hardship was inhumane.

“We all know the economic hardship we are facing in the country presently. The price of fuel has increased, prices of food are increasing on a daily basis, and there is inflation.

“Some of the people earn their living to feed their family and dependents from the factory that you have shut down.

“Invariably, there will be more families exposed to hunger, and I believe this will have a negative impact on the society,” he said.

Due to the harsh economic indices of doing business, the vice-president said that many companies in the country had been under strain due to limited available jobs.

“And now, you want to lay off thousands of workers into the labour market that is already overstretched. What do you expect them to do in order to feed and cater for the needs of their family?

“We are appealing to NAFDAC to suspend the directive to shut down the production of alcoholic sachets drinks for the posterity of the masses,” he said.

Mr Idogen said the Lagos government raised the motion that alcoholic sachets were the cause of blocked drainage systems in the state.

“What about others like nylon bags, plastic bottles, and other things blocking the drainage? To label alcoholic sachets as the sole contributor to the blockages of drainage would be unfair,” he said.

The TUC vice-president also said alcoholic sachet drinks were affordable and economical in quantity for those who did not have enough money but still want to enjoy alcohol consumption.

“When you talk about the purchasing power of the masses, sachet alcoholic beverages are still more available for easy purchase. It is not everyone that has money to buy the expensive bottle, so why are you trying to make life difficult for the common man on the street?” Mr Idogen said.

FOBTOB secretary Anthony Oyagua said at least 5,000 members had been rendered jobless.

“The labour market is already saturated and you have piled more problems on our nation’s economy by sending more people into that same market. This does not represent President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for the renewed hope,” he said.