On the 5th of February, 2024, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC) announced that a ban has been placed on the production and sales of Alcoholic drinks that are sold in sachets as well as bottles less than 200ml.
According to NAFDAC this step was taken in a bid to prevent and protect underage children from easy access to alcohol. Following this announcement, there were various reactions as some Nigerians felt like it was a much needed step while some others, most especially those that were profiting from the sales of Alcoholic Drinks in sachet containers felt it wasn’t necessary.
In reaction to this policy liquor sellers in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday staged a peaceful protest against the ban placed on alcoholic drinks. The protest was led by the state president of the Liquor Sellers Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Chapter, Chief Gbadegesin Adeagbo and Chief Adebayo Ajibade who is the secretary of the association in Oyo State.
According to the reports made by the News Agency of Nigeria, Both Chief Gbadegesin Adeagbo and Chief Adebayo Ajibade took turns in stating their grievances to Mrs Roseline Ajayi, the South-West Zonal Director of NAFDAC who attended to them.
Stating their displeasure about the policy, Chief Adeagbo made it known to Mrs Ajayi that the association had over 50,000 members who depended daily on the profits made from the sales of alcoholic drinks for their survival. He also stated that the policy put in place also had a lot of negative effects on the members of the association. Negative effects such as emotional, mental and psychological trauma. He therefore pleaded with the Federal Government and the NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye to re-examine the ban policy in consideration of the plight of liquor sellers across the country.
In response to their pleas, the South-West Zonal Director of NAFDAC, Mrs Roseline Ajayi said, “As we speak now, the ban has become a ministerial directive, and with the pronouncement from the national assembly, the minister hasn’t said anything to our director-general.
“So as we are now, I don’t see any reason for this protest because we are still waiting for a directive on whether we will go ahead with the prohibition or rescind it.
“I can only appeal to you to wait till we get another ministerial directive. It is not in my power to say the enforcement will continue or stop.”