A pressure group, Concerned Citizen for Change, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately sack the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, over what it described as “gross incompetence and abuse of public office” in the enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol and small PET bottle alcoholic drinks.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, the group’s Country Director, Comrade Hilary Akor, accused the NAFDAC boss of disregarding existing government directives and acting in violation of the National Alcohol Policy approved by the Federal Ministry of Health.
The group alleged that the enforcement action was capable of triggering economic hardship and social unrest, warning that it could negatively affect businesses and undermine the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration.
According to Akor, the decision to enforce the ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and 200ml PET bottles contradicted resolutions earlier reached by the House of Representatives after consultations with stakeholders.
He said the House had, during a public hearing on the matter in March 2024, directed NAFDAC to suspend further enforcement of the ban, describing it as anti-people and harmful to local businesses.
The group further claimed that the continued enforcement of the policy would threaten jobs and livelihoods across the production and distribution chain, particularly among indigenous operators in the alcohol industry.
Akor argued that sachet and small-sized alcoholic products were introduced to cater to low-income adult consumers and should not be criminalised, insisting that consumers had the right to make choices regarding legally certified products.
He also rejected claims that sachet alcohol encourages abuse among minors, maintaining that smaller portions could help reduce excessive consumption associated with larger containers.
The group stated that manufacturers had invested heavily in campaigns promoting responsible alcohol consumption and discouraging underage drinking through nationwide media awareness programmes.
Concerned Citizen for Change warned that the ban could encourage the circulation of illicit and unregulated alcoholic products, while also creating room for smuggling and revenue losses to government.
The group, however, said it supports measures aimed at removing unsafe products from the market but insisted that such decisions must be based on empirical evidence and extensive stakeholder engagement.
It therefore urged President Tinubu to “wield the big stick” by removing the NAFDAC Director-General from office, arguing that her continued stay was no longer in the public interest.