A civil society group, Young Nigeria Women in Leadership, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately remove the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, over what it described as gross incompetence and abuse of public office.
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.
The group urged the Federal Government to review the policy and take urgent steps to address concerns raised by industry operators, warning that failure to do so could have adverse economic and social consequences.
It further called on President Tinubu to take decisive action on the matter, insisting that the continued leadership of the NAFDAC Director-General was no longer in the public interest.
NAFDAC has consistently maintained that its regulatory actions are aimed at safeguarding public health and reducing the harmful effects of alcohol abuse, particularly among vulnerable groups.