The Independent Public Service Accountability Watch (IPSAW) on Thursday staged a protest at the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja, demanding the immediate dismissal of the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, over what it described as gross incompetence and abuse of public office.
The protest, led by IPSAW’s Executive Director, Ambassador Stephen Eriba, accused the NAFDAC boss of unlawfully enforcing a ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and 200ml PET bottles.
Addressing journalists during the demonstration, Eriba alleged that the enforcement of the ban contravenes the provisions of the National Alcohol Policy approved by the Federal Ministry of Health and currently in operation. He further claimed that the action runs contrary to a presidential directive restraining NAFDAC from disrupting the operations of affected companies pending the outcome of a joint committee set up to review the matter.
According to him, implementing the ban could trigger serious economic and social consequences, including business disruptions and possible civil unrest among stakeholders in the alcohol production and distribution chain.
Eriba also argued that the decision disregards a resolution of the House of Representatives following a public hearing with key stakeholders on March 14, 2024, which urged NAFDAC to suspend the ban and described the move as anti-people.
IPSAW maintained that sachet alcohol and small PET bottle packaging were introduced to serve low-income adult consumers who prefer smaller and more affordable quantities, stressing that banning such products would deny consumers the freedom of choice.
The group also challenged claims that sachet alcohol promotes abuse, insisting that smaller packaging could in fact discourage excessive consumption often associated with larger containers.
Eriba noted that local manufacturers produce sachet alcohol under hygienic conditions with regulatory approval, including certification from NAFDAC itself. He added that industry players have invested significantly in campaigns promoting responsible alcohol consumption and discouraging underage drinking.
While expressing support for regulatory efforts aimed at eliminating unsafe products from the market, IPSAW insisted that such actions must be guided by empirical evidence rather than what it described as emotional or unverified claims.
The group warned that enforcing the ban could result in massive job losses across the alcohol production value chain, encourage the proliferation of illicit and unregulated alcoholic products, and lead to significant revenue losses for the government.
IPSAW therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take decisive action by removing the NAFDAC Director-General from office, arguing that her continued stay in office is no longer in the public interest.
